Detroit Tigers should add Chasen Bradford

The Detroit Tigers have a lot of question marks in the bullpen heading into 2018. Adding a minor league free agent like Chasen Bradford could add some much-needed stability to the ‘pen.

The Detroit Tigers have plenty of options to fill out their bullpen in 2018. Unfortunately, many of the options are uninspiring to say the least.

Warwick Saupold and Chad Bell both posted FIP’s over 5.00 last season, and both are expected to compete for a spot again.

With a lot of inexperienced arms lining up next year, it can never hurt to add relievers on minor league deals. The more options a team has, the more likely they are to put a bullpen together that can compete.

Indeed the Tigers have been adding arms to their farm system, signing both James Russell and Johnny Barbato this offseason.

However, the Tigers should continue to monitor the bullpen market. An interesting arm just became available, and he could be a nice fit for the Tigers.

Chasen Bradford

Chasen Bradford was DFA’d by the Mets in order to make room for the recently signed Adrian Gonzalez.

Bradford, 28, made his major league debut last season. He racked up 33.2 innings and did quite well, earning a 3.74 ERA with a 7.2 K/9 and a solid 55.9% ground ball rate.

His 90.6 mile per hour fastball is nothing special, and at 28 he is probably at his peak. Still, the former 35th round pick generates a lot of ground balls and does a good job of limiting walks (1.6% rate in Triple-A).

In a bullpen that Saupold, Bell and possibly Johnny Barbato will occupy next season, a player like Bradford cannot hurt to have on hand.

Next: Predicting the 2018 Bullpen

Bradford is currently in DFA limbo. The Mets have ten days to trade him, release him or reassign him to Triple-A without a spot on the 40-man roster. If the Tigers can wrestle him away from the Mets he has a great chance of being in Detroit’s bullpen next season.