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Detroit Tigers relief pitchers struggled to miss bats in 2017

By Ben Rosener |
DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 22: Alex Wilson #30 of the Detroit Tigers pitches against the Minnesota Twins during the eighth inning at Comerica Park on September 22, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - SEPTEMBER 22: Alex Wilson #30 of the Detroit Tigers pitches against the Minnesota Twins during the eighth inning at Comerica Park on September 22, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)
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DETROIT, MI – AUGUST 11: Joe Jimenez #77 of the Detroit Tigers pitches against the Minnesota Twins during the ninth inning at Comerica Park on August 11, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. The Twins defeated the Tigers 9-4. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI – AUGUST 11: Joe Jimenez #77 of the Detroit Tigers pitches against the Minnesota Twins during the ninth inning at Comerica Park on August 11, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. The Twins defeated the Tigers 9-4. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) /

Detroit Tigers executive vice president of baseball operations and general manager Al Avila and the rest of the front office are in need of extra bullpen options.

Detroit Tigers fans once again saw the bullpen struggle in 2017.

Not only did Detroit relief pitchers hemorrhaged runs (30th in ERA, FIP, xFIP and SIERA) and allowed base runners in drones (1.56 collective WHIP was also last in the league, while their 10.1 walk percentage checked in at 23rd), but the team’s relievers struggled to miss bats.

Only the Minnesota Twins and Baltimore Orioles’ respective bullpens had a lower cumulative strikeouts per nine innings rate than Detroit’s 7.92 stat.

Elsewhere, the Tigers finished dead-last in swinging strike percentage with a 9.4% stat. They also registered the lowest strikeout percentage in baseball with a 19.6% stat.

Contract-oriented relievers can find plenty of success in the Majors.

However, the fact is that outs via the strikeout out are the best way to limit damage and rallies in games.

While top prospects like Bryan Garcia, Paul Voelker, Gerson Moreno, Adam Ravenelle and Mark Ecker could help change things in the near future it remains to be seen when any of the quintet will debut in the Majors.

Elsewhere, Detroit could benefit from improved showings from Joe Jimenez, Victor Alcantara, Zac Reininger and Jairo Labourt in terms of strike outs.

However, each has limited Major League experience so far.

It may yet take time for everything to click.

DETROIT, MI – JULY 1: Daniel Stumpf #68 of the Detroit Tigers looks towards right field after giving up a two-run home run to Carlos Santana of the Cleveland Indians during the seventh inning of game one of a doubleheader at Comerica Park on July 1, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. The Tigers defeated the Indians 7-4. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI – JULY 1: Daniel Stumpf #68 of the Detroit Tigers looks towards right field after giving up a two-run home run to Carlos Santana of the Cleveland Indians during the seventh inning of game one of a doubleheader at Comerica Park on July 1, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. The Tigers defeated the Indians 7-4. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) /

Other incumbent options for the Detroit Tigers’ bullpen

Looking at the rest of the team’s incumbent options, there aren’t many strikeout mavens where the bullpen is concerned.

Last season among Detroit Tigers relief pitchers with at least 20 innings of work, just one reliever had a strikeouts per nine innings rate over 10.0.

That would be former closer Justin Wilson, who was dealt to the Chicago Cubs at the non-waiver trade deadline.

In fact, three of the team’s top five relief pitchers in terms of strikeouts per nine innings—Wilson, Anibal Sanchez and Francisco Rodriguez—are no longer with the team.

Moving to the swinging-strike percentage metric, there is once again a dearth of bullpen arms who induced swings and misses on a consistent basis.

Justin Wilson, Drew VerHagen, Sanchez and Blaine Hardy were the only relievers with a minimum of 20 innings pitched and swinging strike percentage at 10.0% or higher.

Wilson finished with a 14.3% percentage, while VerHagen, Sanchez and Hardy checked in with 11.4%, 10.1% and 10.0% percentages respectively.

For reference, per FanGraphs, the league average in terms of swinging strike percentage in baseball was 10.5% percent.

Of all Detroit Tigers relievers with 20 innings pitched, five also posted swinging strike percentages south of 9.0%.

All five—Shane Greene, Chad Bell, Alex Wilson, Warwick Saupold and Daniel Stumpf—could be in the bullpen mix next season.

ARLINGTON, TX – SEPTEMBER 03: Tony Barnette #43 of the Texas Rangers delivers a pitch against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the 9th inning of a game at Globe Life Park in Arlington on September 3, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard W. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX – SEPTEMBER 03: Tony Barnette #43 of the Texas Rangers delivers a pitch against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the 9th inning of a game at Globe Life Park in Arlington on September 3, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard W. Rodriguez/Getty Images) /

How to fix it

Simply put, Detroit Tigers relievers need to miss more bats.

This is obviously easier said than done, but the more outs the team gets via the punch out, the less of a chance that a bloop double falls, or that an inning extending, ground-ball single finds a hole.

The incumbent relievers may not fix the issue by themselves, but adding a veteran or two from the free agent mix would certainly help things.

The free agent market

Detroit isn’t going to splash the cash on someone like Wade Davis (22nd in swinging strike percentage) or Greg Holland (24th), but there is value to be found elsewhere on the free agent market.

Right-handed bullpen arms Luke Gregerson and Sergio Romo finished 18th and 26th respectively in swinging strike percentage with a 15.8 and 14.9 swinging strike percentage respectively.

The duo finished ahead of the likes of Chad Green, Corey Knebel and Addison Reed.

Fellow free agents Tony Barnette and Seung-hwan Oh also ranked relatively highly in swinging strike percentage, checking in at 48th and 51st respectively.

Now, obviously swinging strike percentage isn’t the entire picture where bullpen pitchers—and pitchers in general—are concerned, but it is a prominent piece of the puzzle.

Signing a player like Gregerson, Romo, Barnette or Oh on a short-term contract would give new manager Ron Gardenhire a late-inning-caliber reliever arm to pair with Alex Wilson in building the bridge to Greene.

Signing a player like one of the aforementioned quartet would also give the Tigers some much-needed insurance should the team’s current closer switch uniforms via trade.

Add in a pitcher like Jimenez or Rondon starting to make good on their potential, and Detroit’s bullpen will be in much better shape moving forward.

Next: In his first piece for Motor City Bengals, Andy looks at low-cost relievers who could be fits for Tigers

Not just from an overall standpoint, but also from a missing bats standpoint.

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