Detroit Tigers: 3 Free Agent First Base Options They Could Pursue

The Detroit Tigers are in need of a new first baseman in 2018, assuming they move veteran Miguel Cabrera to designated hitter.

The Detroit Tigers probably won’t be the most active team this offseason. As the rebuild plugs along, this team will be looking to find low-cost veterans to plug into spots of need, with the intention of trading them in July to acquire more prospects.

This team isn’t losing many veterans to free agency, so it will probably be a quiet offseason. However, one area the team will need to address is first base. With Victor Martinez‘s retirement, Detroit will almost assuredly move veteran Miguel Cabrera to the designated hitter role permanently. At age 35, it is time for Miggy to face the music – and a move to DH could prolong his career by a few years.

The team was without Cabrera for most of last season, and a combination of John Hicks, Jim Adduci, Niko Goodrum and Ronny Rodriguez were used at first. Goodrum and Rodriguez are middle infielders, and Hicks is primarily a catcher. That leaves Adduci, who at age 33 is not a great option to get his first big league starting role.

Hicks is the front-runner for right now, but he is better served as a backup catcher/backup first baseman, as opposed to a full-time regular. Plus, the team could really use an extra left-handed bat to replace Martinez, who as a switch-hitter was one of Detroit’s few swingers from the left side.

Here are three free agent options who are low-cost, left-handed hitting first baseman who could contribute, and could even end up getting dealt at the deadline for more prospects.

Luis Valbuena

We discussed Valbuena at length here, but here is a recap: Valbuena had 613 at-bats in his last two seasons with the Angels, roughly a season’s worth. In that time, he mashed 31 home runs, 24 doubles and collected 98 RBI. However, he also struck out 206 times and posted a meager .199/.277/.390 slash line with an 81 OPS+.

Valbuena was a solid part-time player in 2017, posting a 12.0% walk rate and hitting 22 home runs in 117 games. Those numbers slipped in 2018, when he hit nine home runs in 96 games along with a 6.6% walk rate and a very ugly 34.7% strikeout rate.

Valbuena is your typical three true outcomes hitter, with 44.1% of his plate appearances in the last two years resulting in a walk, strikeout or a home run. Unfortunately, 29.9% of those were strikeouts.

However, Valbuena is a solid enough defensive first baseman who also has plenty of experience at third base and even second base, if needed. He swings from the left side and has posted better numbers against right-handers in his career.

Ultimately, Valbuena is probably the cheapest first base option on the market. He is more of a platoon option than anything, meaning he would platoon with John Hicks. Valbuena would be useful in that role, although likely not useful enough to merit much on the trade market.

Lucas Duda

After spending the first seven years of his big league career with the New York Mets, Duda has now played with four different teams in the last two seasons. In that time, he has mashed 44 home runs and 42 doubles while racking up 114 RBI and slashing .228/.318/.462.

Duda has always posted high strikeout numbers, but he normally cuts that with big power and walk numbers as well. Last season was a down year for the slugger, as he only managed 14 home runs and a career-low 7.5% walk rate, while also posting a career-high 27.8% strikeout rate.

He got off to a slow start with the Royals, but things did pick up for Duda in the second half, a promising development for the free agent. He hit .252/.329/.458 with a 10.1% walk rate and a 108 wRC+ in the second half. If he is able to bring that kind of production to the Motor City, he would be a great candidate to start for the Tigers at first base – and likely get traded at the deadline for the third consecutive year.

Duda would be more expensive than Valbuena, who could probably be had as a minor league free agent. Duda signed for $3.5 million last offseason, although he was coming off a 30 home run year. If the Detroit Tigers can get him for 2-3 million, he would be a very solid investment.