Detroit Tigers: Filling out roster this offseason will be an easy task
By Tyler Kotila
The Detroit Tigers should not have a tough time filling out their roster this offseason, finding cost-effective ways to fill minimal gaps.
While the calendar has turned to November, it is truly the offseason, and the Detroit Tigers have already been busy. They may not have much to do as the biggest gap has been filled, a new manager, the organization has hired A.J. Hinch, but the roster itself needs a few fixes.
The Tigers organization is only having five players come off the roster and retire, so they will be tasked with filling those gaps with the free agents on the market. As the declined options and buy-outs continue to roll in, it adds to the pool of players from which the organization can select.
Keep in mind that this is a rebuilding team; while they need a catcher upgrade, do not expect them to go out and get in the race to sign J.T. Realmuto, who is arguably one of, if not the best, in the game right now.
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The front office, led by General Manager (GM) Al Avila, will have to put their heads together to come up with cost-effective options.
They have to put a product on the field that is not laughable, and that should not be too hard given the offseason’s climate.
This 2021 offseason could be a tough one, amid a COVID-19 pandemic that continues to put a damper on revenue across Major League Baseball.
Signing players to these huge contracts may be less likely, and short-term contracts with smaller average annual values are the more likely scenario.
As the Tigers keep working through the offseason and start narrowing in on which players they will target, the focus should be short-term contracts.
Given the Tigers have five players who are free agents, they should examine the idea of re-signing some of them.
There are a few names that are worthy of another contract with the Tigers, meaning it would be another one-year deal and cost-effective scenario for the organization. For example, the Tigers can go out and target players like Adam Eaton, Tommy La Stella, and Steven Souza Jr. on the offensive side of things.
The Tigers can look at arms like Collin McHugh, Jake Odorizzi, or even Tyler Thornburg for pitching help. The Tigers should be able to build a bullpen by targeting some of these cost-effective arms to fill out their staff.
The Detroit Tigers may not have lost many players to free agency, but three of those players should be brought back on one-year contracts in 2021.. light. Trending
As the offseason rages on, the front office should have no issues as they work through lists of names and start to piece together the Detroit Tigers 2021 roster.