Story by
Winter Meetings preview: Detroit Tigers still seek starting pitchers, right-handed hitters
- Story by
- Winter Meetings preview: Detroit Tigers still seek starting pitchers, right-handed hitters
DALLAS — It's the most wonderful time of the baseball offseason.
MLB's Winter Meetings begin Monday morning in Dallas. Front office representatives from all 30 teams and all of the player agents will gather together for in-person conversations. The annual event ends Wednesday evening.
Advertisement
The Detroit Tigers , led by president of baseball operations Scott Harris , haven't wavered from their patient approach to the 2024-25 offseason , but the free-agent and trade markets are heating up.
FROM GM MEETINGS: Tigers expected to be 'patient' in offseason, but the Tarik Skubal clock is ticking
[ MUST LISTEN: Make "Days of Roar" your go-to Detroit Tigers podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts ( Apple , Spotify ) ]
Here are five questions about the Tigers entering the winter meetings, with insight from many sources:
Is Walker Buehler the next pitching project?
The Tigers want to sign a starting pitcher to a one-year contract, just like the signings of Michael Lorenzen and Jack Flaherty in the past two years.
Advertisement
And they're willing to pay.
The Tigers have interest in right-hander Walker Buehler .
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler (21) reacts after an out against the New York Mets in the second inning during game three of the NLCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Citi Field.
Buehler, though, has the potential to command a two-year contract with an opt-out clause after the first season, which isn't exactly what the Tigers are seeking.
The reason why Buehler could be a two-year candidate (rather than one year) is because of the expensive pitching market, which saw 33-year-old left-hander Matthew Boyd — who threw 39⅔ innings last season in return from his second elbow surgery — sign a two-year, $29 million contract with the Chicago Cubs .
NAMES TO KNOW: Ten starting pitchers for Tigers to target on one-year contracts
Advertisement
Buehler, a two-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion, is considered the best bounce-back starting pitcher in free agency, but there are reasons to be concerned about his value, even in the immediate future.
In 2024, the 30-year-old posted a 5.38 ERA with 28 walks and 64 strikeouts across 75⅓ innings in 16 starts for the Los Angeles Dodgers , returning from his second Tommy John surgery and his first flexor tendon surgery.
The big problem: His fastball wasn't as effective as it used to be.
Surprisingly, Buehler returned to his pre-surgery dominance in the postseason. He surrendered six runs in his first game, then bounced back with 10 scoreless innings and 13 strikeouts in his final three games, culminating in getting the final three outs to win the World Series.
Advertisement
Any other pitching options?
If not Buehler, the Tigers have interest in other starting pitchers who are candidates for a one-year contract, including left-hander Andrew Heaney and right-hander Kyle Gibson .
There's already history between Heaney and the Tigers.
Texas Rangers starting pitcher Andrew Heaney (44) pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning at Globe Life Field in Arlington on May 3, 2023.
That's because Harris — as the general manager of the San Francisco Giants — tried to sign Heaney in November 2021, but Heaney joined the Los Angeles Dodgers and revived his career in the 2022 season. From there, Heaney turned the one-year contract with the Dodgers into a two-year contract with the Texas Rangers , in which the 33-year-old posted a 4.22 ERA with 310 strikeouts across 307⅓ innings in 2023-24. He has the potential to register a sub-4.00 ERA in 2025.
Advertisement
Another player to watch is right-hander Michael Soroka .
Soroka, 27, logged a 4.74 ERA with 44 walks and 84 strikeouts across 79⅔ innings in 25 games (nine starts) with the Chicago White Sox in 2024. But the former top prospect had a 1.48 ERA with nine walks and 41 strikeouts across 24⅓ innings in his final 11 games, all out of the bullpen.
(Here's another tidbit: The Tigers made a competitive one-year offer to right-hander Luis Severino last offseason, but they chose not to pursue him this offseason after he rejected the qualifying offer. Signing Severino this offseason would have required forfeiting a draft pick, a price the draft-focused Tigers seem unwilling to pay. For the same reason, the Tigers seem unlikely to target right-hander Nick Pivetta , who also declined the qualifying offer and would similarly cost a draft pick to sign.)
What's up with Alex Bregman 's market?
The Tigers want to acquire a right-handed hitter.
Advertisement
But the Tigers don't want to pay $200 million for third baseman Alex Bregman , even though Bregman is seeking a contract worth $200 million. The 30-year-old would immediately make the Tigers better as the everyday third baseman, but the price tag is the reason why the Tigers haven't prioritized him.
So what if Bregman's market crashes?
NAMES TO KNOW: Breaking down seven right-handed hitters for Tigers in free agent, trade markets
Sep 22, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (2) celebrates after hitting a home run during the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
If that happens, the Tigers would be enticed to swoop in and sign him before spring training, but even then, the Houston Astros have had a respectable offer on the table since the beginning of the offseason. The offer to re-sign Bregman has since been reported as six years and roughly $156 million.
Advertisement
Therefore, the worst Bregman can do is $156 million.
It's unlikely the Tigers will get into a bidding war against the Astros, especially considering they already have concerns about his productivity throughout a long-term contract. On top of that, Bregman likes playing for the Astros.
So who's the new right-handed hitter?
The Tigers have interest in infielder Ha-Seong Kim .
Kim — a right-handed hitter who plays shortstop, third base and second base — is recovering from right shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum. The 29-year-old won't be ready for Opening Day, but he should be healthy at some point in the first half of the 2025 season.
Advertisement
The injury creates an uncertain market.
San Diego Padres shortstop Ha-Seong Kim (7) tracks a groundball in the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.
Offers could range from one year to four years, but if Kim wants to settle for a one-year contract and return to free agency at age 30 next offseason in search of a bigger payday, the Tigers would be a perfect fit for him.
As a hitter, Kim also does everything the Tigers want their young players to embrace. He has a .250 batting average with a .336 on-base percentage, a 11% walk rate and a 17.9% strikeout rate throughout his last three seasons.
RELIEVERS: Five new free agents Tigers might be interested in after non-tender deadline
Another player to watch is first baseman Christian Walker , a 33-year-old whom the Tigers have kicked the tires on, but they might not be willing to get aggressive in pursuit of Walker if big-market teams are involved in the bidding. It's also a long shot because Walker costs a draft pick for signing since he declined the qualifying offer, like Severino and Pivetta.
Advertisement
Potential trade targets for Tigers?
The Tigers are exploring the trade market.
Here are some names to keep an eye on: St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado , Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm , Miami Marlins first baseman/third baseman Jake Burger , Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Yandy Díaz and Baltimore Orioles first baseman Ryan Mountcastle .
MOCK TRADES: Four trades Tigers could make to upgrade first base, including Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Those players could be good fits for the Tigers, both because of the opportunity for an upgrade at third base and the desire to improve the performance at first base.
The Miami Marlins' Jake Burger gets a sunflower seed shower after hitting a two-run home run in the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at loanDepot Park.
For now, the Tigers have Matt Vierling and Jace Jung at third base and Spencer Torkelson at first base.
Advertisement
The combination of Vierling and Jung makes sense as a platoon at third base, as Vierling is a right-handed hitter and Jung is a left-handed hitter. Vierling, 28, would spend most of his time in the outfield; Jung, 24, would spend most of his time at third base. Vierling is a solid all-around player, but Jung is below average on defense and isn't a proven threat on offense.
Torkelson, a former No. 1 overall pick whom the Tigers have demoted to Triple-A Toledo twice in his three-year MLB career, hit .219 with 10 home runs and a career-worst 27.6% strikeout rate in 2024. On a positive note, the 25-year-old improved his defense at first base in the second half of the season.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold .
Listen to our weekly Tigers show "Days of Roar" every Monday afternoon on demand at freep.com, Apple Podcasts , Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at freep.com/podcasts .
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers could land starting pitcher at MLB Winter Meetings
