The Detroit Tigers are Fun! Watch now for 2022

Detroit Tigers players who will be tendered:

Spencer Turnbull: Arbitration Year 1- Turnbull has become a bonafide starter with tremendous value and will still be a steal assuming health. I am confident he will not be traded despite his potential value at the deadline this year, though his health situation has tampered down those rumblings anyways.

Jeimer Candelario: Arbitration year 2- What is the CandyMan exactly? He flashes brilliance that had some fans screaming for an extension after featuring a May OPS of .884. That was sandwiched in between a March/April of .661 and a .514 for the month of June through the 27th. He was excellent in 52 games in 2020 with a .297/.369/.503 slash line which is an OPS of .872.

Jeimer is the modern-day Todd Jones of position players for the Tigers. Cedar Point should rename a roller coaster after him. It is really frustrating how he goes from looking like an all-star candidate for a month and then Eric Munson in the blink of an eye.  I suspect he is basically a league-average player, with these next 3 months being huge for his future paydays and roll with the team. Currently, I would keep taking it a year to year with him.

Likely to be tendered:

Matthew Boyd: Arbitration year 4: Assuming the new CBA does not affect his status, Boyd and his current 6.5 million dollar salary will be entering his final season before free agency. While I am not a huge fan of his roller coaster performances they feature a good couple of months followed by mediocrity and awful, you can do worse than having Boyd in the 5th spot in the rotation.

Assuming health and no trade, I can see him being brought back for 2022 before being bid adieu. Don’t worry about losing mediocre assets that are easily replaceable without getting a return. Essentially the 8-9 Million or so he will get for next season can be put towards a replacement the following year if necessary. As much as I have been ready to move on from Boyd for years I am bracing for one last swan song.

My biggest fan wish is to cut loose of Boyd and spend another 10-15 million over top of his savings now to bring back Justin Verlander. However, with other holes more pressing for next year, I don’t think the reunion most of us are wishing for is in the cards just yet. Perhaps for 2023 or 2024 if Verlander proves healthy and is still performing at a high level. He has indicated he wants to play several more years and I’m not betting against him reaching his mid 40’s as a productive player.

Jose Cisnero- I am putting him in the likely category only because I believe he could be traded at the deadline. If he remains with the team I am bringing him back without question. Relievers are always in high demand and if there is a reasonable return, moving the 32-year-old Cisnero to a contender is a real possibility. I just assume keep him for 2022 but we will have to see this play out.