Detroit Tigers: 3 players that could return, 2 that are expendable under new regime

LHP Gregory Soto

I teased this one a couple slides back. Before the Scott Harris hire, I thought there was a mild chance that Soto got moved in the offseason. After the hire, that chance has certainly increased.

Soto’s inability to throw strikes on a consistent basis has only gotten worse this season. His 4.74 BB/9 is 13th in the league, and his 12.2% walk rate is tied for 12th. He has 57 strikeouts to 30 walks. Not quite the ratio you’re looking for out of your closer.

He was really bad in August. In 12.2 innings pitched, he had a 7.11 ERA with eight strikeouts to 10 walks. Yikes. Thankfully, September has been much kinder to him, pitching to a 1.80 ERA with 12 strikeouts and five walks in 10 innings.

Fetter and Hinch will have a lot of say in this, but it seems more possible than ever that Soto gets traded this offseason. With his subpar second half of the season, I’m not sure what his value is right now, but with three years of team control still remaining, the Detroit Tigers could surely get something good in return for him.

This is why I think Joe Jimenez is in a good position to win the closer’s job next year. H’s figured out how to throw strikes on a consistent basis. Alex Lange is another candidate for the role, but he also struggle with walks, though his stuff is so nasty that I don’t think he’s going anywhere.

Fans have lamented Gregory Soto for the past couple of years, wanting him out of the closer’s role because of his lack of control, even though he’s only blown two saves this year. They may get their wish this offseason.