Detroit Tigers: Scott Harris wants more pitching, but what about the offense?

It's been a rather successful offseason for the Detroit Tigers so far. They've addressed three major needs with the additions of OF Mark Canha via trade and the free agent signings of SP Kenta Maeda and LHP Andrew Chafin. However, there's still more work to be done. You can always get better.

For the most part, I think Harris believes that as well. He's always looking for what he believes better options. He doesn't always execute that plan the right way (please stop scouring the waiver wire), but he's always trying to get better.

Chafin's signing was made offical on Tuesday, and Harris spoke to the media. He was asked about his plan for the rest of the offseason. Here's what he had to say, via Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press:

"We're always going to be looking for pitching. We're going to keep looking for pitching. ... I just never feel like we have enough pitching, and I'm always going to be looking for pitching."

I don't know about you guys, but I think Scott Harris wants more pitching.

Harris' premise that you can't have enough pitching certainly isn't something that we're going to disagree with. We saw what happened in 2022, when the team went through 17 different starting pitchers. Even last year they didn't have a lot of pitching depth. There's nothing inherently wrong with what Harris is saying here.

But the problem is that the offense is still very, very bad. They were the third-worst offense in the league in 2023, and they were historically bad in 2022. You can't count on prospects and young guys improving, because they are no sure things. That's how Al Avila got fired.

In addition, third base is still a massive hole on this roster. The Tigers can't roll into 2024 with Matt Vierling as their starting third baseman. A serious franchise would not do that. They have to find an upgrade, even if it's just a short term option.

Finding another outfielder wouldn't hurt either. Riley Greene will be relegated to DH duty for the first part of the season as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. An outfield of Canha, Parker Meadows, and Kerry Carpenter should be fine, but getting someone else in the mix wouldn't be the worst thing the world.

This is an offense that needs another bat or two. As it stands, it looks like another year where the lineup will hold the team back. They won 78 games last year with a makeshift pitching staff. Imagine if the offense was even just slightly above average. This is a team that could have snuck into the playoffs.

Scott Harris is 100% correct when he says you can never have too much pitching. But you can't have enough offense either, and right now the Tigers have very little of that. You can't neglect the lineup any longer.

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