Detroit Tigers Winter Meetings checklist

3. A leverage reliever

One of the things that made the Tigers bullpen so effective in 2022 was that they had multiple guys that could throw in high-leverage situations. Michael Fulmer, Joe Jimenez, Andrew Chafin, Jason Foley, and Alex Lange to a lesser extent all had success pitching in stressful spots.

In 2023, it was just Foley and Tyler Holton. That was about it. Lange had command issues from June onward, and nobody else could get the job done when it mattered most.

A.J. Hinch's biggest strength as a manager is how he manages his bullpen. He loves the cat-and-mouse game. More often than not, he pushes the right buttons. Harris needs to recognize that and get him another leverage reliever, maybe even two.

Sadly, two of my personal favorites are already off the market. The Braves snatched both Joe Jimenez and Reynaldo Lopez earlier this month. Lopez was given about $10 million a year to pitch for Braves. That sounds like a lot for a reliever, but that's what they go for nowadays.

Flamethrower Jordan Hicks is probably the best option still available. He doesn't exactly fit the "dominate the strike zone" mantra, as he's struggled with command his entire career, but he'll get plenty of whiffs on that 100 mph heater.

An Andrew Chafin reunion wouldn't be the worst idea either. The Tigers need another lefty to pair with Holton, and while Chafin struggled with command at times last season, he could be had for cheap, and Fetter knows how to get the best out of him.

Adding one or two relievers to the mix would be very wise of Harris. It would give A.J. Hinch more options to work with, and simply make the Tigers a deeper team.