Detroit Tigers: Potential in-house Anibal Sanchez replacements

The Detroit Tigers predicament

The reality of the situation is that the Detroit Tigers don’t necessarily have to find the best, long-term fit.

While that would be convenient, the team has a number of prospects pitching out of the rotation at Double-A Erie who could be in the Majors anywhere from next July to Opening Day 2019.

These include arguably the organization’s top pitching prospect in Franklin Perez as well as widely regarded top-100 prospect Beau Burrows.

Right-handers Grayson Long and Sandy Baez as well as left-handers Matt Hall and Tyler Alexander also pitched for Erie and offer plenty of upside.

The Tigers certainly have options for the future, but they also have options for the present as well to hold things down until the likes of Perez, Burrows and company are ready to debut in the Majors.

Buck Farmer

Of all the candidates, Buck Farmer may be the hypothetical front runner.

Not only is the starter out of minor league options next season, but he’s shown the most success rotation-wise of all the candidates in the Majors.

Farmer twirled a pair gems in his first two starts of the season, combining to throw 13 shutout innings against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Chicago White Sox.

The former second-round pick struck out 16 during that span, compared to just six hits and three walks surrendered.

Farmer’s other starts were more of a mixed bag.

In five outings where he failed to reach the five-inning. There were also a handful of promising outings mixed in, including a start at Toronto and the pitcher’s final outing of the year against the Twins.

Still, while the inconsistency isn’t ideal, Farmer may be the best bet of the bunch.