Detroit Tigers: 4 short-term starting pitcher deals to explore

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SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 15: Tyler Anderson #31 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after throwing out Ha-Seong Kim #7 of the San Diego Padres (not pictured) to end the fifth inning in game four of the National League Division Series at PETCO Park on October 15, 2022 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

Anderson is coming off an All-Star season with the Dodgers, in which he posted a 2.57 ERA and a 3.31 FIP is 178.2 innings pitched. It was the first All-Star selection of the 32-year-old’s career.

Anderson has had a reputation for being a solid innings-eater his entire career, and that’s exactly what the Dodgers used him as. With Walker Buehler, Clayton Kershaw, and Tony Gonsolin all dealing with injuries at one point or another over the course of the season, he stepped up in a big way.

Like Cueto, Anderson is a guy who gets the job done by limiting hard contact. Baseball Savant had him in the 98th percentile in both hard hit rate allowed and average exit velocity.

The Detroit Tigers will need someone to eat some innings next season, and Anderson feels like the perfect fit. He also pitched for the Giants during the shortened 2020 season, so Harris is familiar with him.

Given that Anderson is coming off a career season, the Tigers may have to add a year or two on to the deal in order to get him. But if he’s even a fraction as good for them as he was for the Dodgers, it might be worth it.

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