Detroit Tigers: Notable names headed to free agency

The 2019 season is almost over and a number of notable Detroit Tigers players are headed for free agency, so here’s what you need to know.

With the 2019 season winding down it’s time for the fans of the Detroit Tigers to start looking ahead to the offseason. As with every offseason, the Tigers will have a few players leaving for free agency. There are three big notable names on the list this year, so here’s who they are.

Jordy Mercer

Mercer is easily the biggest name on this list and had a tough season in Detroit. He was signed for one year back in December and suffered a quad injury early on in the season in April. Despite the rocky start to the season, Mercer came back to hit .277 with nine home runs, including a couple of walk-off hits.

He was by no means an all-star, but he was a fairly consistent player who provided a veteran presence in the clubhouse. Mercer just turned 33, but he may yet have some years in him if the Tigers wish to attempt to resign him. He could be a valuable mentor and backup player on the squad if they do go this route.

Gordon Beckham

Beckham had his fair share of struggles this season. He’s slashing .215/.273./.364 with only five home runs on the year. He’s the same age as Mercer, at 33, but doesn’t seem to be putting up the same type of numbers.

Given Beckham’s age and lack of production, it seems extremely unlikely that Detroit will make an attempt to resign him. Opening space in the middle infield will give more prospects opportunities to get major league experience. Beckham will likely have to find work elsewhere if he hopes to continue playing.

Edwin Jackson

While it was awesome to see Jackson make a return to Detroit, this has been easily the worst year of his career. He has a 9.70 ERA and a 3-10 record on the season. He still has a few more starts to make over the year, but it seems unlikely he will do more than eat up innings.

Detroit will probably choose to move on from Jackson, especially with all the young pitching talent they have in the organization. It wouldn’t be shocking to hear that Jackson is calling it quits either. He’s had a memorable career, and he just turned 36 years old. It would be cool to see him have a comeback year, but it doesn’t seem likely at this stage in his career.

Make sure to stay up to date with all the latest news concerning the Detroit Tigers. It is bound to be an interesting offseason for them. They will need to fill a number of spots on the roster, so it will be exciting to see what they choose to do.