Detroit Tigers: Low-cost relief pitchers the team should target

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DENVER, CO – AUGUST 30: Shane Greene #61 of the Detroit Tigers pitches against the Colorado Rockies in the ninth inning of a game at Coors Field on August 30, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /

The Detroit Tigers may want to consider these low-cost veterans, Huston Street, Tom Wilhelmsen and Jason Grilli to fill out their bullpen for the 2018 season.

Detroit Tigers general manager Al Avila has spent the last few months acquiring prospects at the expense of the Tigers’ Major League roster.

However, at the end of the day the Tigers will need to field a 25-man roster of actual Major League Baseball players heading into Opening Day 2018.

One spot where they could theoretically add low cost, Major League talent to patch the roster together is in the bullpen.

The Tigers are bringing back a bevy of relief pitchers who tossed meaningful innings last year; including Shane Greene, Warwick Saupold, Chad Bell, Alex Wilson, Daniel Stumpf and Blaine Hardy. The Tigers had 11 other relievers who threw in a game last season.

Quantity is not the issue.

Quality however, is a concern.

Of relievers who threw over 20 innings for Detroit last year only four had an ERA+ over 100: Shane Greene (172) Justin Wilson (171) Daniel Stumpf (120) and Alex Wilson (102).

Justin Wilson is gone, having been dealt with Alex Avila at the trade deadline for Jeimer Candelario, among others. Greene is a potential trade candidate as well, leaving the bullpen a bit thin heading into 2018.

Even assuming no one is moved the Tigers will go into 2018 with Shane Greene, Daniel Stumpf, Alex Wilson and Blaine Hardy as locks in their bullpen.

That leaves a few open spots for a veteran or two to be brought in to eat up some innings while some of the younger guys (Joe Jimenez, Chad Bell, Bruce Rondon, Drew VerHagen, and Jairo Labourt) can battle it out for the last few spots, while the others refine their craft in the minors.

Now, a look at some of the low-cost names available for the Tigers to plug into their bullpen.

Huston Street

The Angels declined a $10M option on Huston Street last month (per Spotrac), instead choosing to buy him out for $1M and let him test the waters of free agency.

According to the same publication, the buyout stemmed from a two-year, $18M extension he signed with the Angels back in late 2015.

Street was a pretty colossal bust for the Angels during that extension, only managing to toss 26.1 innings due to a myriad of different injuries.

A 26-inning sample isn’t enough to glean much data from, but reports say his velocity is down in the 88 mph range. Street has had a successful MLB career without overpowering hitters, but 88 mph is low even for his standards.

However, there is reason enough for the Detroit Tigers to give Street a chance.

For starters, his lack of innings over the last two years means he will likely have to settle for a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training, an extremely low cost risk that the Tigers should be willing to take on.

The Tigers could load his contract with incentives should he become a big piece of the bullpen.

Street put up 62.1 innings of 3.18 ball (3.73 FIP) in 2015, his last healthy season. He had a 8.23 K/9 compared to a tidy 2.89 BB/9.

He was even better in 2014, pitching to a 1.37 ERA (2.80 FIP) with a 8.65 K/9 and a 2.01 BB/9.

Street is very unlikely to replicate his numbers from three years ago, but if he is able to come into the season healthy there is reason to believe he could return some of his old self and provide a veteran presence to a young bullpen in need of some experience as they begin the rebuild.

Tom Wilhelmsen

The Bartender, as he was nicknamed in Seattle based on his previous career as a (you guessed it) bartender, has not been very good the last two years.

His K/9 numbers dropped rapidly from 8.71 in 2015 all the way down to 5.81 in 2017. That sharp decline helped spike his ERA from 3.19 all the way up to 6.80 in 2016 and 4.44 last season.

However, despite the struggles Wilhelmsen’s fastball velocity has stayed consistent at about 95 mph. So if he’s not losing velocity, what is going on?

The biggest change has been a spike in his HR rate, which has skyrocketed from his days in Seattle. Part of this has to do with his home ballpark, as switching from the spacious Safeco field to the friendlier confines of Globe Life Park (seven home runs in 21.1 innings) and Chase Field (four home runs in 26.1 innings) likely had an impact on how many balls left the yard.

Switching to the equally spacious Comerica Park should help the veteran return to form.

If Wilhelmsen can keep the ball in the park he can become a valuable bullpen piece again, even if his strikeout rates do not climb all the way back to their old ways.

Jason Grilli

A familiar face, Grilli was a member of the Detroit Tigers bullpen from 2005-2008, where he threw 171.1 remarkably average innings.

He puttered around for a few more years before putting together two very strong seasons as the primary closer in Pittsburgh in 2013 and in Atlanta in 2015.

The magic wore off the last few years, as the 40-year-old posted his ugliest stats since 2004 last year with the Blue Jays and Rangers, finishing with a 6.30 ERA and a 75 ERA+.

However, Grilli’s strikeout numbers have remained elite as he has posted a 9.5 K/9 or higher every season since 2009.

FanGraphs reports that his fastball velocity of 93.1 mph last season is right on par with his career norms, so there is reason to believe the high strikeout numbers are legit.

He suffered from a freakishly high 2.70 HR/9 last year, another product of playing in both the Rogers Centre and Globe Life Park, two fields known for elevated home run numbers.

Grilli may not have much left in the tank, but a small incentive-laden contract could pay dividends if he is able to keep his strikeout numbers up and keep the ball in the park.

Next: Tigers should sign these 4 former 1st-round picks

There is no guarantee that any of Street, Wilhelmsen or Grilli are serviceable Major League relievers next year, but in a rebuilding season with little to lose, there is plenty of reason for the Tigers to give one (or two) of these guys a chance while they let some of their younger arms marinate in the minors a touch longer.

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Detroit Tigers: Low-cost relief pitchers the team could target

The Detroit Tigers may want to consider these low-cost veterans, Huston Street, Tom Wilhelmsen and Jason Grilli to fill out their bullpen for the 2018 season.

Huston Street

Tom Wilhelmsen

Jason Grilli

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