Quirky reliever looking to lock down the Detroit Tigers' closing role

The Detroit Tigers are nearing the point of the swing where things start to take shape. While Alex Lange will surely be in the team's bullpen, he has a reason to push for more. Detroit is really trying to give him a chance to show this, and he has a big season ahead of him.

The Detroit Tigers will need a closer, and trusting Lange to get the job done is the right move. He's proven he has what it takes to be a big piece of this bullpen, but he needs to do it over a full summer. I believe in Lange, but I want to see more from him.

The 2024 season is Lange's chance to do precisely that. If he can prove he belongs as the Tigers' closer and lock down the role, it will mean good things for the Tigers moving forward. The team needs a closer if it wants to be a serious contender, and having Lange around to fill that spot would be a huge plus for the team.

If there's one thing the Tigers know, it's that Lange will bring it out there on the mound. He's had some ups and downs but has truthfully been reliable for the Tigers in the grand scheme of things. Detroit will rely on him to be their closer in 2024, and he deserves this role.

Alex Lange is going to lock down the Detroit Tigers' closer role.

Lange has been with the Tigers for a while now, starting out as a starter but morphing into the bullpen role; he's become a true closer and has earned the role here in Detroit. He's simply looking to return to this role and prove he can lock down a spot for the 2024 season, knocking down save after save when given the chance.

In 2023, Lange logged just six saves after picking up 21 in the 2022 season. However, Lange still logged 67 games with 66.0 innings pitched overall, managing a 3.68 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP. He walked 45 and struck out 79 opposing hitters along the way. In the grand scheme of things, it was a "down" year for Lange.

Overall, Lange walked more hitters and struck out fewer hitters, and it showed when it came to keeping runs off the board. The WHIP could be better, and he has to strive to show this in 2024. He has some work cut out for him, but even after an average year in 2023, there's plenty of room for Lange to come back out and perform well in 2024.

Plus, Lange's been putting in some work from the sounds of it. Sure, his Spring Training stats are nothing to marvel about, but he's taken some steps during his bullpens and mound work to ensure that he can hit the mound in 2024 and get moving in the right direction.

Maybe it's sheer optimism, or maybe it's a lack of trust in Spring Training stats, but it really feels like Lange will lock down the closer role in 2024.