Detroit Tigers: 3 closers to consider signing this offseason

The Detroit Tigers should consider a multi-year contract with closer Brad Hand who would be the organization’s solution.

If the Detroit Tigers want to “go big or go home,” they should sign Brad Hand to take over the team’s closer duties. Hand has proven over the past few seasons that he can be incredibly reliable as a closer.

Hand, now 30 years old, is someone the Tigers should consider if they want to shell out some cash on a closer to avoid having to deal with the issue for the next few years.

In 2020, Hand led the league in saves with 16; he pitched in 23 games where he totaled 22 innings pitched. He had a 2.05 ERA, a 0.77 WHIP, struck out 29 opposing hitters, allowed just 13 hits, and surrendered only eight runs.

More from Detroit Tigers

• Tigers Sign Manager A.J. Hinch to Long-Term Extension
• Former Tigers Celebrate Jim Leyland Hall of Fame Call
• 4 Free Agents Tigers Should Sign During Winter Meetings
• Javier Baez Listed Among Worst Contracts in MLB by The Athletic
• Tigers’ Interest in Kenta Maeda Could be a Disaster for 2024 and Beyond

He has been the Cleveland Indians closer since being shipped over there in a trade at the 2018 trade deadline.

He could easily jump into the Tigers bullpen and be the best reliever there.

He may not be the most practical solution, given the Tigers will have to shell out some cash to sign him, but he would be a multi-year solution.

Ideally, he could be the closer for the next few seasons and alleviate issues in the bullpen’s backend.

On top of that, if the opportunity presented itself, Hand could be traded to a competitive team looking to make a postseason run. He may not be as liquid of an asset as a one-year contract, but his value would likely be higher for a team that may not have that lockdown closer.

Either way, the Detroit Tigers will need to add another arm to the backend of the bullpen before the 2021 season. Why not one of these three?