Detroit Tigers free agency primer: Seung-hwan Oh is intriguing buy-low candidate

Detroit Tigers fans could conceivably see the team sign veterans to short-term deals in order to help the franchise’s younger players develop. One potential fit could be Seung-hwan Oh.

Detroit Tigers general manager Al Avila and the rest of the front office need a number of veteran, stop-gap options picked from the free agent market to bolster the team.

Ideally, all of these stop-gap veterans will be signed to short-term deals.

This way, there isn’t much of a long-term financial hit on the books while at the same time leaving a long-term place open for one of the team’s prospects or younger players.

With a number of young relievers coming through the system, some of whom have already broken into the Majors, it may seem prudent for Detroit to add a veteran reliever to the mix.

State of the bullpen

Joe Jimenez made his debut earlier in the 2017 season, while the likes of Jairo Labourt, Victor Alcantara and Zac Reininger joined him later in the season.

Additionally, the likes of Bryan Garcia, Paul Voelker, Mark Ecker and Adam Ravenelle could all join them at some point in 2018.

With a host of other inexperienced and underperforming options in the bullpen—not to mention the fact that closer Shane Greene, setup man Alex Wilson and perhaps Daniel Stumpf are the only established options among relievers—another option or two could provide helpful.

In a perfect world, the Detroit Tigers will sign a reliever to a one-year deal who can effectively pitch late in games.

The team would then trade him in July while the likes of Labourt, Garcia and others establish themselves in the Majors.

Of course, that’s all easier said than done. However, one reliever who is a fit is Seung-hawn Oh.

The ex-Cardinals closer will hit the free agent market this winter after a two-year stint in St. Louis.