3 needs for the Detroit Tigers to address immediately after the lockout

The Detroit Tigers will still have work to do following the work stoppage and before the 2022 season

The Detroit Tigers were one of the more active teams before the lockout, but they will need to continue that theme following the MLB lockout if they want to achieve their goal of having a winning club in 2022.

The club started with an overhaul of the front office structure. They brought in Ryan Garko to be their Vice President of Player Development, promoted Sam Menzin and Jay Sartori to Assistant GM roles, hired Gabe Ribas as their director of pitching, and hired a slew of other analysts and coaches, mostly away from the LA Dodgers.

There were some on-field additions to improve the organization, too. They traded for catcher Tucker Barnhart, signed left-handed pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez to a five-year deal, and got their shortstop in Javier Baez on a six-year contract.

Those additions will be welcomed, but two of the three signings are essentially replacements for the talent they had the season prior. Jake Rogers, just as he was beginning to show signs of being that starting catcher many had hoped for, had to undergo Tommy John surgery, which will put him out for the season. Likewise, the team did not tender a contract to Matthew Boyd and Spencer Turnbull underwent Tommy John surgery himself. Rodriguez essentially replaces Boyd’s production from last year.

Javier Baez was the Tigers’ answer to the shortstop free-agent frenzy that is well underway, and although the fans’ choice Carlos Correa still awaits a team, Baez is no consolation with his defensive ability, crafty play, speed, and power. He’s a microcosm of what the Detroit Tigers were doing stylistically last season.

That said, Baez isn’t going to single-handedly propel the Detroit Tigers into playoff contention and leaning on rookies Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson is a risky proposition. The Detroit Tigers have needs. Here is where they should finish their offseason when the lockout ends.

2. Starting Pitching

AJ Hinch talked about getting the pitching right to have a shot at a successful rebuild. To a large extent, they have executed that plan. Casey Mize has emerged as a #2 starter with some upside remaining while Tarik Skubal has established himself as a mid-rotation arm too.

The Detroit Tigers did sign Eduardo Rodriguez before the MLB work stoppage, but his presence essentially replaces Boyd’s spot in the rotation. So, then, assuming Mize, Skubal, and Rodriguez are penciled into the rotation, they have a couple of slots yet to fill.

One of those spots may go to Matt Manning, who showed well toward the end of the season; but writing his name in pen on the roster card wouldn’t be prudent. Likewise, perhaps Joey Wentz or Alex Faedo could win a rotation job out of spring–but that is asking a lot of a player who is fresh off of Tommy John and another who has struggled since his return from the same surgery.

Their best route would be to look at external options to address those needs. Today’s game is showing more and more that seven or eight starters are necessary to sustain a season, and I’d assume the organization would not like to have to count on someone like Wily Peralta to fill that void (although he performed well).

I’d assume their next addition will be a tier under Rodriguez; someone like Danny Duffy or Michael Pineda are possibilities.

3. Depth

One of the marks of a successful organization is its ability to deal with injuries. The World Series Champion Atlanta Braves won a World Series without one of the five best players in the sport last season. It speaks to their depth.

It isn’t flashy or fun, but having players waiting in the wings ready to step in when injuries happen (and they always do) is not only valuable, but vital. Thanks to the ability to still sign minor league players, the Detroit Tigers have gotten a bit of a headstart on this front, agreeing to terms with infielder Jack Lopez, second baseman Luis Carpio, and right-hander Carlos Canabria, according to multiple reports.

It will be interesting to see if the Tigers opt for finding a major league deal for some of their depth desires following the lockout. On the position player side, the Tigers are well-stocked with talent: Victor Reyes, Daz Cameron, Derek Hill, Isaac Paredes, Kody Clemens, Eric Haase, Harold Castro, and Willi Castro among their in-house options.

My gut says that financial resources could be better allocated elsewhere than finding a bench bat, but as we alluded to previously, the organization can never have enough pitching. That might be an area where the organization can continue to fill out that Mud Hens rotation.