3 early Detroit Tigers offseason rumors that should have fans really concerned

Just like last year, the Tigers aren't interested in making any big, expensive moves

Tigers President of Baseball Operations Scott Harris has made it clear that he doesn't intend on the team being big spenders this offseason, despite Detroit's payroll being cleared of both Miguel Cabrera and Eduardo Rodriguez's contracts going into 2024. He's interested in keeping his attentions on the young talent the team already has, and he doesn't think that buying up some of the more expensive players available on the free agent market is the key to long-term success. Based on the fact that the Tigers were able to exceed expectations this year without a big name headliner, Harris' philosophy is to develop, not acquire.

This is a very pragmatic philosophy that's not necessarily wrong (even if it is a bit contradictory, given the Tigers' rumored interest in Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who will not come cheaply). With Spencer Torkelson, Riley Greene, Tarik Skubal, and Tyler Holton in the mix, the Tigers absolutely do have a lot of young talent who deserve to be part of the team's core and shouldn't be pushed out by expensive acquisitions. Importantly, most of them are also still pre-arbitration, so they'll come incredibly cheaply.

So, despite Harris' argument being a pragmatic one, the counter is this: If the Tigers can retain their young core cheaply, and have more payroll flexibility than they've had in years, why not complement that core with a big name signing that will not only help the team but excite the fanbase?

Despite the strength and potential of some individual players, there are still some holes in the Tigers roster that need to be addressed. The rotation needs at least one more arm, the bullpen needs a few, and third base needs an everyday player (we'll get into that later). These concerns aren't all new, and they won't go away simply by developing current players. The Tigers should take a more holistic approach that involves development and acquisition, even if it means stretching the budget, but it doesn't seem like they're going to.