Detroit Tigers three most pressing offseason needs

Starting rotation

Last season, the Detroit Tigers finished a respectable 13^th in total fWAR where starting pitchers were concerned.

However that stat, and the group in general, were buoyed by Justin Verlander and his 172 innings spanning 28 starts.

That’s a significant amount of production to make up for. And, if September was any indication, Detroit isn’t exactly well-stocked with immediate replacements.

Tigers’ starters once again finished 13^th among Major League rotations in fWAR.

However, the group turned in the sixth-highest SIERA in the league over that span with a 4.77 stat.

Detroit’s rotation also had the second-highest WHIP in the regular season’s final month.

Now, the franchise will attempt to soldier with a Verlander-less rotation.

Michael Fulmer

The good news is that Michael Fulmer will likely still be around.

Fulmer finished 18^th in the league among starters in fWAR despite being limited to 164.2 innings and 25 starts.

A fully healthy Fulmer is an excellent way to start a rotation.

However, Detroit doesn’t have many other certainties after that.

Daniel Norris and Matthew Boyd could take significant steps forward and help expedite the rebuild by starting to realize their potential more. Or, the duo could continue to regress like in 2017.

There’s also Jordan Zimmermann, who is in a similar boat in terms of potentially having a bounce-back season or imploding even more so.

The rest of Detroit’s rotation candidates, Buck Farmer, Artie Lewicki, Myles Jaye and Chad Bell, are hardly locks to make the team out of Spring Training.

Ideally, Franklin Perez, Beau Burrows, Grayson Long, Tyler Alexander and Matt Hall will all debut at some point in the second half, but it remains to be seen when the next wave of prospect reinforcements will hit.

With all the uncertainty, as well as the prospects being nearly ready for the Majors, it makes sense for the Tigers to invest in a few short-term fixes.

In that regard, the likes of Doug Fister, Mike Mikolas, Jaime Garcia or Chris Tillman could be fits.

The bullpen

The Detroit Tigers have at least some certainty in the rotation with Fulmer and potentially Boyd and Norris, who showed well at times last season.

The bullpen is a different story.

Shane Greene may or may not be traded. If he’s not moved, the reliever will open 2018 as Detroit’s closer.

Outside of him, setup reliever Alex Wilson—another conceivable trade chip—and Daniel Stumpf, the bullpen is full of unproven hurlers.

In theory, the group could be good if some combination of Joe Jimenez, Jairo Labourt, Bryan Garcia, Zac Reininger, Victor Alcantara, Mark Ecker and Adam Ravenelle hit the ground running early next season.

However, that’s far from a sure thing, as all have little to no experience in the Majors.

Outside of the few established options and a host of young hurlers, Detroit’s other internal options comprise a less-than-inspiring list.

Said list includes Kyle Ryan, Jeff Ferrell, Blaine Hardy, Bell, Warwick Saupold and Drew VerHagen.

Regardless of whether Greene or Wilson is moved this offseason, Detroit may find it prudent to add a veteran reliever or two via free agency.

In theory, these additions would help ease the pressure on Jimenez, Labourt and others.

Some hypothetical fits include Luke Gregerson, Matt Albers, Tyler Clippard, Kevin Siegrist and Fernando Abad.

Middle infield

The Detroit Tigers need added options in the starting rotation and in the bullpen even if the team largely stands pat and enter 2018 with plenty of holdovers.

Detroit’s needs up the middle are purely dependent on whether second baseman Ian Kinsler and shortstop Jose Iglesias are traded.

According to Spotrac, Kinsler is making $11 million in 2018 before becoming a free agent. Per the same publication, Iglesias will also become a free agent after the season.

What’s more, MLBTradeRumors.com projects that Iglesias will earn $5.6 million next season through arbitration.

If the Tigers are looking to shed even more salary, moving the expiring contracts of both Kinsler and Iglesias is the best way to do it considering neither is a long-term piece.

Trades would in turn create a pair of starting vacancies in the middle of the infield.

Dixon Machado will be Iglesias’ eventual successor at shortstop, but the situation is less clear at second base in terms of a potential Kinsler replacement.

Kody Eaves or Dawel Lugo could conceivably step in, but it might be best not to rush either prospect.

Next: Tigers' CF options as it stands

With a decidedly thin middle-infield portion of the free agent market, Detroit might be better off finding middle infielders in trades or on the waiver wire.