Should the Detroit Tigers sign any of these former star pitchers?

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The Detroit Tigers will almost certainly sign another pitcher; could it be any of these former aces?

The Detroit Tigers need pitching. It sounds a bit odd when considering it has been the foundation of the rebuild. It isn’t that those arms haven’t panned out, either. Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal have the makings of solid rotation pieces that could be long-term anchors. The jury is still out on Matt Manning, Alex Faedo, and Joey Wentz, too; all who could very likely split time between Toledo and Detroit next season.

Additionally, the club has already allocated significant financial resources to augment its current stable. This offseason, the team signed free-agent and former Red Sox starter Eduardo Rodriguez to a five-year, $77 million contract. So, they have established pitching and they have made additions. That still doesn’t negate the need, though.

Foremost, while there have been newcomers, there have also been departures. Matthew Boyd was a mainstay throughout the rebuild, but the Detroit Tigers did not tender him a contract for the 2022 season, making him a free agent. Before his injury and the shortened season in 2020, Boyd started 25, 31, and 32 games between 2017 and 2019, respectively.

After his rock-solid start to 2021 which included a no-hitter against the Seattle Mariners, Spencer Turnbull needed Tommy John Surgery and will spend the 2022 season in recovery. While Turnbull remains someone to count on for 2023 and beyond, they’ll need a fill-in to log innings if their goal is a winning ball club.

So, then, they have Eduardo Rodriguez, Casey Mize, Tarik Skubal, and perhaps Matt Manning to occupy rotation spots, assuming health. That leaves one, maybe two, rotation spots to be filled. I am compelled to believe the organization would rather not be in the predicament that resulted in 2021: promoting talent that was not yet ready (Matt Manning) and giving significant innings to players who normally would not be starting pitchers (Tyler Alexander, Wily Peralta, and Drew Hutchison).

Oddly enough, there remains a slew of veteran pitching with all-star backgrounds who may not be their former selves, but remain effective and could be a valuable part of a rotation. Should the Detroit Tigers take a run at any of them?

WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 23: Matt Harvey #32 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on May 23, 2021, in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) /

1) RHP Matt Harvey

Matt Harvey was once a flamethrower with the Mets who put up ERA numbers under 3.0 his first three seasons and combined for 11.8 WAR. Harvey likely would have won the NL Cy Young in 2013 if not for Tommy John Surgery that halted his year in August and spoiled his 2014 campaign.

2015 was Harvey’s last exceptional year; then in July 2016, Harvey was diagnosed with Thoracic outlet syndrome and was never the same pitcher. Since then, Harvey has never thrown more than 155 innings in a single season.

Most recently, Harvey started 28 games for the Orioles; supplying a 6.27 ERA and -0.7 WAR. 2021 was Harvey’s third consecutive season of below replacement-level ball; making him a probable minor league free-agent candidate.

Harvey will be entering his age-33 season and while he has maintained his fastball velocity since 2017, he struggles to get swings and misses. If the Tigers take a chance, it’s either for minor league depth or maybe Fetter has a scheme to improve upon Harvey’s poor whiff and strikeout numbers.

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – OCTOBER 19: Zack Greinke #21 of the Houston Astros walks back to the dugout after he is taken out of the game against the Boston Red Sox in the second inning of Game Four of the American League Championship Series at Fenway Park on October 19, 2021, in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

2) RHP Zack Greinke

Greinke is one where fans collectively hold their breath waiting for the wheels to fall off, but they just haven’t. Here we are in the age of velocity, where throwing hard is taught and encouraged. Velocity certainly helps most pitchers, but now and then there are still guys who can finesse their way through a lineup–and that is exactly what Greinke has built the second half of his career on.

Gone are the days of Greinke blowing away Detroit Tigers hitters in his powder-blue Royals uniform, but Greinke has provided stability through his later years even without the heat. Since 2012, Greinke has thrown over 200 innings six different seasons while supplying a 3.13 ERA and a 131 ERA+ over that same span.

While Greinke’s fastball velocity ranks in the seventh percentile of the league, he maintains a stellar 5.2 percent walk rate; good for the 92nd percentile of all pitchers. Despite his overall effectiveness, his strikeout rate decreased significantly–leaving many to wonder if his below-average movement profiles and lack of velocity will soon catch up with him.

Greinke will assuredly take a cut from the $35 million salary he made in 2021, but forecasting what he will receive on the open market proves difficult. On one hand, Greinke is still effective and his resume is littered with accolades. On the other, his peripherals are quite alarming and his personality would be categorized strange, at best–making any possible veteran leadership-type role a questionable assignment.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 01: Clayton Kershaw #22 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning at Dodger Stadium on October 01, 2021, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images) /

3) LHP Clayton Kershaw

Seeing Clayton Kershaw in a different uniform after 14 years with the Dodgers would certainly take some getting used to, but Kershaw would be the most reliable and the youngest of the group. Arguably, he may be the best pitcher left on the market.

It seems likely that Kershaw, who doesn’t need to chase dollars this deep into his career, would return to the Dodgers, even if it was at a discount. Even if he didn’t return, though, there are more logical fits and more attractive options to Kershaw that could use his services.

Kershaw went to school just 25 miles from Arlington, which would make the Texas Rangers an intriguing route–especially considering they’ve already flexed their financial muscle by signing Marcus Semien and Corey Seager following their 102-loss last-place finish in 2021.

Or, perhaps he could follow his teammate Max Scherzer to New York to play for a team poised to make noise in the NL East. Big markets can be intimidating to some, but given Kershaw’s history in Los Angeles, those butterflies and that media pressure would be a non-factor in his decision.

The Detroit Tigers should sign one of the best pitchers in the history of the game, even entering his age-34 season. They just won’t have the chance to do so.

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