Detroit Tigers free agency primer: Melky Cabrera is a fit

Detroit Tigers players didn’t have the most productive offensive month in September. One way to improve the offense ahead of 2018 would be to sign Melky Cabrera.

Detroit Tigers fans didn’t see the best offensive production out after Justin Upton was traded on August 31.

The Tigers finished 20^th in slugging percentage 24^th in wRC+ and ISO, 25^th in wOBA and 29^th in on-base percentage in September and October to finish the regular season.

Detroit struggled mightily despite Nicholas Castellanos going on a late-season tear that saw him crush nearly every pitch in sight with a .359 batting average, a .377 on-base percentage, a .632 slugging percentage, a .420 wOBA, a 165 wRC+ and a .274 ISO.

The team also struggled despite Alex Presley’s .402 BABIP-fueled month of production (126 wRC+, .363 wOBA and a .347 batting average) and Jeimer Candelario’s torrid debut at the plate (.136 wRC+, .378 wOBA, .406 on-base percentage and an .874 OPS).

Struggles

Detroit was done in not only by the departures of Upton and J.D. Martinez, but also the absence of Victor Martinez and the partial absence of Miguel Cabrera.

Ian Kinsler’s .276 on-base percentage certainly didn’t help either.

Moving forward, for Detroit to score with more consistency, reinforcements will be needed.

Of course, with a rebuild in full swing, statistical outputs likely don’t matter as much as they did when the Tigers were contending, but the need is still there.

The need will grow if Martinez misses more time next season or if Kinsler is traded.

While a heart of the order featuring a healthy Cabrera alongside Castellanos and Candelario should do plenty of damage, the Tigers will need better production from other spots to improve the offense.