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Detroit Tigers: Deadline Looms as Need for Pitching Increases

By Griffin Fabits

Sep 3, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus (7) signals to the bullpen in the seventh inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 3, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus (7) signals to the bullpen in the seventh inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports /
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As the trade deadline nears, the Detroit Tigers must look at starting pitching options to solidify the back end of the rotation.

The Detroit Tigers are in desperate need of starting pitching. Shocking, I know.

After Mike Pelfrey‘s flop of an outing last night against the Kansas City Royals, the need for starting pitching seems to have grown larger. Pelfrey only managed to last 1.2 innings before allowing five earned runs on four hits while handing out four free passes.

Just two innings in, the Tigers were already chasing four runs and the bullpen was forced to come to work early in hopes of keeping the game within reach. Not an ideal start against a division rival.

Tigers’ starters rank among the worst in all of baseball (23rd) with a 4.53 ERA and opponents are hitting .272/.332/.436, well above the league averages.

This really brings the Tigers into an awkward position in the season. Do they strike now and make a deal for a pitcher, or do they give it a few weeks and wait until the August 1 deadline?

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Personally, I think a deal should be made sooner rather than later. This team is in the thick of a wild card race and if they want to distance themselves from the pack of mediocre teams in the American League, they’ll need to get better. Starting pitching is an area that needs to get better.

There aren’t any top-tier starters on this year’s market, though. But luckily enough, the Tigers aren’t in need of a top-tier starter.

They have Justin Verlander, Michael Fulmer, and Jordan Zimmermann, who is close to beginning his rehab stint after being sidelined by a neck injury. Daniel Norris, the fourth starter in the puzzle, is starting his rehab with the Toledo Mud Hens on Monday. Norris has been out since July 4 with an oblique injury.

Once Zimm and Norris return, the rotation will be somewhat complete again. But, for now, you’re still giving guys like Pelfrey and Anibal Sanchez more starts than they have deserved. That needs to change, especially if this team is serious about an October run.

This year’s trade deadline boasts some above-average back-end of the rotation guys. The Tigers have been linked to Rich Hill, the 36-year old lefty with the Oakland Athletics who has emerged into a valuable trade piece.

May 18, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Rich Hill (18) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Texas Rangers at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kenny Karst-USA TODAY Sports
May 18, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Rich Hill (18) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Texas Rangers at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kenny Karst-USA TODAY Sports /

Hill owns a career 4.23 ERA, but this season in Oakland he’s compiled a 9-3 record and a 2.25 ERA.  He also possesses a 10.66 K/9 over the 76.0 innings he’s thrown this year.

I really wouldn’t be surprised if the Tigers made a serious run at acquiring Hill. They obviously need help, and Hill would be able to provide it. It’s a move that makes sense and one that probably would not require pieces from the big league team heading to Oakland.

If the Tigers fail to grab Hill, there’s also a chance they could look at a reunion with Drew Smyly, or his teammate Jake Odorizzi from the Tampa Bay Rays, who are apparently shopping their starting pitchers not named Chris Archer.

Smyly’s numbers this year in Tampa aren’t ideal, but the Tigers know what he’s capable of. With the Tigers in 2013, Smyly racked up six wins, zero losses, and a sparkling 2.37 ERA through 63 appearances out of the bullpen. This season with the Rays, Smyly has won just two games in 17 starts with an ERA of 5.47.

Odorizzi hasn’t enjoyed much success this season, either. His record sits at 3-5 and he allows 4.47 earned runs per game. In the one start Odorizzi had against the Tigers this year on June 30, he held them to two runs on three hits over five innings of work.

Any move Al Avila chooses to make is likely an improvement over the Tigers’ current situation. The one-two punch of Pelfrey and Sanchez has teams licking their chops when they head to Detroit. Some sort of move has to be made.

Next: Five Players Who Could be Traded at the Deadline

As long as Mike Illitch is owner of the Tigers, the team will remain in this win-now mentality. With the deadline nearing and the need of pitching growing, expect the Tigers to pull the trigger on something that allows them to win now.

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