Detroit Tigers: Learning from the Tampa Bay Rays 2020 bullpen make-up
By Tyler Kotila
The Detroit Tigers have an opportunity at hand, they can establish a sound bullpen and have money to spend on other needs like starting pitching or a position player when the time comes.
Being able to save some money, learning from what the Tampa Bay Rays are doing, and establish a bullpen where the Detroit Tigers have more than one sustainable option for a pitching change would be incredibly clutch for this organization.
This process will not occur for some time as the rebuild is still underway, but it is something the organization needs to consider as they start preparing to compete once again. After the World Series is completed, the metrics may show different, and a 60-game season is different than a 162-game season, but the Rays have appeared to have built one heck of a bullpen.
However, the Rays were dominant; their bullpen helped them produce a 40-20 record, almost always winning in games when they had a lead over their opponent after the sixth inning.
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While the Tigers are not the same small market team as the Rays, if they can spend their money elsewhere, filling holes with superstars or even just quality players, it will be much better.
Most Tigers fans saw what happened the last time the organization made pushes; looking at 2013, the starting rotation alone should have warranted a free World Series trophy.
If the Tigers can keep the money out of the bullpen, they can ensure that they will have money to spend elsewhere.
This may sound like an easy concept, but the Tigers can go out and sign that “big-name” free agent if they can cut corners on the bullpen and have a versatile, flexible, and reliable group of arms down in the bullpen.
It may be a stretch, but after the Rays’ success in 2020, why not at least consider it?
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The Detroit Tigers should push to build a bullpen with a group of versatile arms who can all be effective when called upon at a cost-effective rate, rather than shelling out big money for three arms and filling the rest of the bullpen with struggling players.