Detroit Tigers 2017 season in review: Buck Farmer

Potential role in 2018 with the Detroit Tigers

With Justin Verlander and now Anibal Sanchez gone from the rotation picture, Farmer is perhaps the leading candidate among incumbents to step in alongside Michael Fulmer, Matthew Boyd, Daniel Norris and Jordan Zimmermann.

He found much more success than the likes of Myles Jaye, Artie Lewicki, Chad Bell and Drew VerHagen.

What’s more, Farmer’s ability to miss bats helps him stand out not just from the likes of Jaye and Bell, but the rest of Detroit’s starters in general.

To go along with 9.19 strikeouts per nine innings, Farmer also ranked fifth among all current Tigers pitchers in swinging strike percentage with an 11.3 stat.

The four ahead of the hurler in the queue were all relievers with small sample sizes in Jeff Ferrell, Bruce Rondon, Victor Alcantara and Joe Jimenez.

Matthew Boyd was the only other starter with a swinging strike percentage in double digits.

Next: Why the Tigers should sign old friend Curtis Granderson

If Farmer can continue to miss bats and pitch more like the starter who limits damage than the one who gets hit around, he has a chance to be a valuable member of the Detroit Tigers rotation in 2018.