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Detroit Tigers: 3 recently DFA’d free agents they should pursue

By Andy Patton |
ST PETERSBURG, FL - JUNE 23: C.J. Cron #44 of the Tampa Bay Rays hits a double in the second inning against the New York Yankees on June 23, 2018 at Tropicana Field in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
ST PETERSBURG, FL - JUNE 23: C.J. Cron #44 of the Tampa Bay Rays hits a double in the second inning against the New York Yankees on June 23, 2018 at Tropicana Field in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
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ANAHEIM, CA – SEPTEMBER 12: Jose Fernandez #20 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim hits a two run home run in the third inning against the Texas Rangers at Angel Stadium on September 12, 2018 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CA – SEPTEMBER 12: Jose Fernandez #20 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim hits a two run home run in the third inning against the Texas Rangers at Angel Stadium on September 12, 2018 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /

The Detroit Tigers could add one of the many players who were designated for assignment before the 40-man roster deadline.

Earlier in the week, the Detroit Tigers and the rest of the league had to set their 40-man rosters in advance of next month’s Rule 5 Draft. Detroit has 39 players on their roster, giving them room to make a selection for the third year in a row – after taking left-hander Daniel Stumpf and outfielder Victor Reyes in prior seasons.

However, Detroit could certainly add to their roster in another way, namely by adding one of the many new free agents who were released by other teams. Doing so would fill the final spot on the 40-man roster, meaning they would need to cut someone if they wanted to select someone in the Rule 5 Draft. They have a few options of players to release, so don’t be surprised to see GM Al Avila be active in the bargain bin for the next month or so.

Here are three players, two first baseman and a LOOGY, that Detroit could consider signing now that they are free agents. Each of them could step into a big role for the Tigers in 2019.

PHILADELPHIA, PA – JULY 23: Zac Rosscup #59 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws a pitch in the fifth inning during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on July 23, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Dodgers won 7-6. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – JULY 23: Zac Rosscup #59 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws a pitch in the fifth inning during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on July 23, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Dodgers won 7-6. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) /

Zac Rosscup

Rosscup only threw 21.1 innings last season, 11.1 with the Dodgers and the rest in the minor leagues. While he gave up six earned runs in LA, he did post a staggering 20/4 K/BB ratio, good for a 15.88 K/9.

His slider was and still is his bread-and-butter. He threw it over 50% of the time in last year’s small sample size, posting a 19.5% swinging strike rate and a 37.9% o-swing rate, both well above the league average. Those numbers have helped him hold left-handed hitters to a paltry .138/.266/.275 slash line over his 65.2 big league innings – numbers that dwarf those of Daniel Stumpf, Detroit’s current LOOGY.

Rosscup is 30 and not exactly a building block, but Stumpf has hardly impressed in Detroit and Blaine Hardy projects to be a potential rotation piece or trade bait, meaning the team could use another lefty stopper like Rosscup.

The Detroit Tigers only have one spot on their 40-man roster, but Rosscup is clearly a step above fellow left-hander Ryan Carpenter. If I was Al Avila, I’d strongly consider adding Rosscup on a minor league deal and waiving Carpenter to clear a spot. He’d have to compete alongside fellow free agent addition Jose Fernandez, another left-handed reliever.

However, Rosscup’s experience and strong slider make him a nice candidate to be a part of Detroit’s bullpen next season, if Avila chooses to go after him.

OAKLAND, CA – JUNE 15: Jose Fernandez #20 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim hits an rbi single scoring Justin Upton #8 against the Oakland Athletics in the top of the third inning at the Oakland Alameda Coliseum on June 15, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA – JUNE 15: Jose Fernandez #20 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim hits an rbi single scoring Justin Upton #8 against the Oakland Athletics in the top of the third inning at the Oakland Alameda Coliseum on June 15, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

Jose Fernandez

The Detroit Tigers already signed a player named Jose Fernandez this offseason, a young left-handed reliever who will compete to be Detroit’s LOOGY next season. However, now that the Angels have released their Jose Fernandez, Detroit should consider adding a name-twin.

Fernandez finally reached the big leagues in 2018, posting a nice .267/.309/.388 slash line with a 94 wRC+ in 36 games. He has always hit well in the upper minors, with a .202 ISO at Triple-A in 2018 (17 home runs in 91 games).

Detroit is in need of a left-handed hitting first baseman – and Fernandez fits the bill perfectly. While Justin Bour, Logan Morrison, Lucas Duda and Luis Valbuena are all options, Fernandez represents a cheap option that has a great chance to outperform all of them.

At age 30, Fernandez doesn’t represent a long-term option for the Tigers. In fact, they’d be lucky to get more than 1-2 years out of him.

However, he represents a nice veteran stopgap that shouldn’t cost much and should give the Tigers solid production at a spot of need. Can’t ask for much more than that.

ARLINGTON, TX – SEPTEMBER 18: C.J. Cron #44 of the Tampa Bay Rays flips his bat after hitting a pop fly for an out in the seventh inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington on September 18, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX – SEPTEMBER 18: C.J. Cron #44 of the Tampa Bay Rays flips his bat after hitting a pop fly for an out in the seventh inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington on September 18, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) /

C.J. Cron

In what was perhaps the most surprising move of the 40-man roster deadline day, the Tampa Bay Rays designated slugging first baseman C.J. Cron for assignment. Cron is coming off the best season of his MLB career, blasting 30 home runs with a 122 wRC+ and a 2.1 fWAR.

At just 28 years old, Cron represents a multi-year option for the Tigers. He is expected to command roughly $5.2M through arbitration and if signed, could be controlled through 2019.

However, despite a career-year, there is reason to doubt Cron’s sudden rise from last season. For starters, Cron’s HR/FB rate spiked to 21.4%, a big cry from his 15.8% career mark. His hard hit rate was up, but his fly ball rate was down which is concerning. Steamer projections see him as a 102 wRC+ type player, AKA just above average.

The Detroit Tigers could really use more oomph in their lineup however, and Cron would give them another bopper to slot in alongside Christin Stewart, Nicholas Castellanos and Miguel Cabrera. An extra year of team control gives them leverage in a trade scenario as well.

dark. Next. 5 stats from Fangraphs' steamer projections

There are many other free agents the Detroit Tigers could pursue between now and the Rule 5 Draft, meaning their roster could look very different between now and then.

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