Detroit Tigers Winter Meetings preview: 3 positions that need to be addressed
The Detroit Tigers enter the MLB Winter Meetings with a host of needs to address
Scott Harris knew when he took the President of Baseball Operations job for the Detroit Tigers that there would be no shortage of needs for the club. The team had just rounded out a 66-win campaign, a year riddled with injuries and poor performances by veteran talent. MLB's Winter Meetings offer perhaps the first real opportunity for Harris to make his mark on the roster.
Harris and Co, while stale in nature, have already made several moves in an effort to turn over the roster and free up 40-man roster slots to allow the Tigers to protect players from the Rule 5 Draft. Those players: Reese Olson, Brendan White, Andre Lipcius, Wenceel Perez, and Parker Meadows. None are expected to begin the season in Detroit, but given the room they had freed up through designations, it made sense to protect each.
Now that their 40-man roster decisions have been made and arbitration-eligible contracts have been agreed upon, now is the period within the offseason where trades and free agent signings will abound, but perhaps no period as much as the winter meetings.
The Detroit Tigers rumors and gameplan
There have already been both rumored interests and direct ideas of how the Tigers are going to approach the offseason:
1. The Tigers are interested in C Willson Contreras, per MLBN's JP Morosi
Our follow up on the report here.
2. Harris is looking for a right-handed-hitting outfielder, left-handed hitting infielder, per Cody Stavenhagen
Our follow up on the report here.
3. Tigers expect Javier Báez to be the opening-day shortstop in 2023, per Stavenhagen
Our follow up on the report here.
4. Team is receiving a lot of interest in their bullpen arms, per Stavenhagen and others
Some thoughts on that from MCB's own here and here.
5. More pitching remains a priority
These are the rumors and reports, but when viewing the Detroit Tigers as a team, the market, and what has happened thus far, where should the Detroit Tigers' top priorities lie? Let's explore.
1. The Detroit Tigers need a new third baseman
The Detroit Tigers decided not to tender Jeimer Candelario a contract for 2023, which is no surprise given what he was expected to earn through arbitration versus what he produced for the team last season. While it was always a possibility that Detroit and Harris could bring back Candelario for less, that possibility was squashed recently when the Washington Nationals announced Candy's signing to a one-year, $5 million pact.
Some recent ponderings had the Freep's Evan Petzold wondering if it's possible the Tigers actually go for a second baseman and move Jonathan Schoop, the club's current everyday second baseman, to third. That option seems unlikely considering Schoop's offensive output, or lack thereof, last season, coupled with his outstanding defensive numbers at second.
With Candelario's signing, the market for third basemen will likely gain some traction at the Winter Meetings, especially considering free agent options are rather thin anyway. The best option on paper is Justin Turner, but Turner is 38 and coming off a season in which he split time equally between third base and designated hitter--not ideal for what they are looking for.
The obvious target on the trade front would be Rafael Devers, the Boston Red Sox star who is a year away from free agency and has not yet been able to agree on an extension. The Red Sox are still trying to win in an AL East gauntlet, so they would hold significant leverage in negotiations now versus this summer if the team were to falter in the first half.
More likely, I expect an under-the-radar type young player who the team believes they can improve upon without having to fork up the money for an extension while also giving up prospect capital essentially for Devers' exclusive negotiating rights.
2. The Detroit Tigers need a centerfielder or right fielder
The Detroit Tigers are on the hunt for a right-handed hitting outfielder, and considering their desperation for improvement on offense, it should be a point of emphasis next week during the Winter Meetings.
No, they will not end up signing Aaron Judge, but following the trade of veteran Robbie Grossman, there is a pronounced vacancy in right field. Given that both Austin Meadows and Riley Greene are left-handed bats, it makes sense to favor a right-handed outfielder to complement those two. Greene does currently hold the centerfield stable and could do so again next year, but most believe that with age, Greene is destined for a corner outfield spot ultimately.
Going for a true centerfielder would allow someone like Greene to shift to a corner and perhaps further mask the defensive shortcomings of Meadows in spacious Comerica Park--but it remains to be seen if the Tigers would consider such a strategy.
There are some intriguing routes the Tigers could take. Cody Bellinger is a name that has gained traction among the fanbase as a possible buy-low candidate, but Bellinger's market is thought to be strong despite a down year and ultimate non-tender by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Wil Myers is another possibility, but he has not hit over 18 home runs in a season since 2017. Myers, though, fits the mold a bit better, considering he's right-handed, sprays the ball all over the field, runs well, defends well, and could even be a contingency option at first base if Spencer Torkelson is deemed unprepared for MLB play.
Another former Padre that some have projected to the Tigers is Jurickson Profar, who, like Myers, doesn't possess the power attributes typically requisite for a corner outfielder but showed strong on-base ability with low strikeout numbers in 2022 for San Diego. Defensive metrics don't take kindly to Profar in left field, however, so it is difficult to imagine him improving in right--a position he played zero games at in 2022.
3. The Detroit Tigers need a mid-rotation starting pitcher
The market has already taken off and the Tigers have recently got in on the fun, agreeing to aone-year deal with former Detroit Tigers pitcher Matt Boyd worth $10 million plus incentives. It further signals the robust market for starters, but Boyd simply cannot be the number two starter as MLive's Evan Woodbery alludes to here:
So, then, who? As badly as I want Justin Verlander back in a Tigers uniform, it doesn't sound so likely, given his contract demands on the open market. That said, the Detroit Tigers still need a starter. They'll be without Casey Mize for the vast majority of 2023. While they could technically fill out a rotation with some combination of Rodriguez, Turnbull, Skubal, Manning, Boyd, Wentz, Faedo, or Brieske, they shouldn't hang their hat on all being healthy the entire season, or maybe past spring training for that matter. And upgrading the stable might make one of their other arms expendable in trade to fill different needs.
Some free agent options include Jameson Taillon, Michael Wacha, Taijuan Walker, Chad Kuhl, and Zach Eflin, to name a few. All are mid-rotation-type arms that would provide length to the Detroit rotation. Taillon, Eflin, and Jose Quintana were all mentioned as options by MLB Trade Rumors.
A trade for a starter given the current supply doesn't seem likely--but given the strong demand in the industry for starting pitching, it's possible those teams who miss out on deGrom, Verlander, or Rodon could turn their focus to the next tier, so it might make sense for some of the aforementioned names to hold off and see if their market picks up following their signings.
Starting pitching is still the focal point for playoff teams--having quality, reliable arms to sustain a season is imperative for the Detroit Tigers next season and should be a top priority as they meet with teams and agents.