Detroit Tigers: 3 recently elected free agents the Tigers should pursue

Tyler Lyons

At 30, Lyons might be a tad old for this rebuilding Detroit Tigers team. However, he’s had more big league success than everyone else that became available, and the Tigers could certainly use more left-handed pitching.

Lyons has spent his entire big league career with the Cardinals after getting selected in the ninth round of the 2010 MLB draft. He made his big league debut in 2013. After two average seasons, Lyons really hit his stride in 2015.

From 2015-2017, Lyons posted a 3.33 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP with a 9.7 K/9 across 162 innings. Things really felt apart in 2018 however, as he only mustered an 8.64 ERA and a 1.92 WHIP in 16.2 innings.

Lyons has served in middle relief his entire career, although as one might expect he has fared better against left-handers in his career. He has held lefties to a .201/.286/.320 line, with a 9.46 K/9 and a 1.06 WHIP.

Detroit could certainly consider buying low on Lyons and seeing if he can compete with Daniel Stumpf to be Detroit’s LOOGY. Stumpf didn’t have a great year, although he was similarly effective against fellow left-handers. Still, Lyons has the track record to win that job – or pitch in the bullpen alongside Stumpf if fellow left-hander Blaine Hardy is either let go or added to the starting rotation.