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

For a second, it looked like the Detroit Tigers were getting their hot stove burning ahead of most other teams, and that might lead to some exciting additions this offseason. Since the trade for Mark Canha that turned on the gas, they've quieted down significantly. It's a long offseason, it's true — there are still four months until Opening Day — and plenty of time to get cooking again. But, and this may be jumping the gun a bit, fans might have reason to be worried that the Tigers are done trying to make any kind of splash ahead of the new season.

Canha is a great addition to a team that could use a veteran clubhouse presence and doesn't walk enough, but who are they adding to the rotation? The bullpen? Will they figure out the situation at third base? Will their many utility players be able to get into enough of a grove that the Tigers can justify their all-too variable defensive configurations? Some early rumors going around don't point to great answers.

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

It's important to remember that nothing written here is set in stone, even if they're based on sentiments that have come straight from Scott Harris himself. Like we've established, the offseason is long, and it's taking an unusually long time for dominos to start falling for any team. Still, fans should keep an eye on rumors in case there's even a little bit of something to them. Here are three that might be cause for concern.

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.

The situation at third base doesn't seem like it will improve

Along with the Tigers being uninterested in big signings this offseason, there's talk that they might be finished making position player additions altogether, after making just one in Mark Canha. The team's reasons for signing Canha are clear and sound: he's a veteran and potential leader for the younger players, and he had a better OBP in 2023 than any Tiger. It's a great addition, but it also shouldn't be the only one, especially not when there are still spots in the infield that are crammed with utility players rather than everyday players, third base in particular.

The argument for Matt Chapman at third has already been made, but given that Chapman is not only a position player but would be a relatively expensive one, we can probably kiss even the vague possibility of him coming to Detroit goodbye. But if you want to apply Scott Harris' "develop not acquire" mindset to third base — why not make Matt Vierling or Zach McKinstry your everyday third baseman? Vierling came up as an outfielder but adapted to third base this year, where he made 35 appearances, while utility man McKinstry had 52.

AJ Hinch has tried to instill in his utility players the message that you don't have to be a primary player at any one position to be an everyday player. Okay, sure — Vierling and McKinstry played in the second and fourth most games of any Tiger in 2023 while making appearances all over the field — but why not make things easier for the roster and land on an everyday third baseman, which could free up spaces on a 26-man, free spaces which could then accommodate new acquisitions that the Tigers should be making, while also adding some stability to your defense? By not acquiring a third baseman while also not focusing on one player to develop there, we're left where we started: with two revolving doors at second and third.