Report: Matthew Boyd returns to Detroit Tigers

The Detroit Tigers sign an old friend for their first move of the offseason

A couple months back, we published an article that speculated on some starting pitchers the Detroit Tigers could sign to one-year deals. One of those pitchers was former Tiger Matthew Boyd. Well, he's not a former Tiger anymore.

Boyd is returning to the Detroit Tigers, according to a report from ESPN's Jeff Passan. Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports the deal is for one-year and $10 million plus incentives. In addition, Petzold reports he will be a starter.

Boyd obviously spent seven years in a Tigers uniform (2015-21) before signing with the Giants last offseason. Then-Giants' GM Scott Harris is the one that signed him. Now, he gets him again as the Tigers' president of baseball operations.

Boyd never pitched for the Giants as he recovered from an elbow injury. He was traded to the Seattle Mariners at the trade deadline, where he recovered and pitched out of the bullpen for them. The Mariners were his hometown team. Of course, they made the playoffs this past year for the first time since 2001. Boyd was very emotional after the team clinched.

This, of course, is Harris' first signing as Detroit Tigers president of baseball operations. Pitching was a part of his offseason to-do list, and this at least partially checks off a box. He could always add more, because as we saw last year with all the injuries, you can never have too much pitching.

$10 million may seem like a lot (he was signed for $5.2 million last season for example), but the starting pitcher market is off the rails right now. Mike Clevinger is coming off Tommy John surgery and he got one-year, $12 million from the White Sox. One can only imagine what the likes of Justin Verlander, Carlos Rodon, and Jacob deGrom will command.

It's nice to see Boyd back in a Tigers uniform. He had his ups and downs the first time around, but he's a good human being. He and his wife have done a ton of charity work.

In baseball terms, if the Tigers can find a way to keep the home runs down for him, Boyd could be a solid pickup. This is the second time Harris has signed Boyd, so clearly he sees something in him. Let's hope he's right.