Detroit Tigers: 3 scary free agents to avoid signing this offseason

The Detroit Tigers need to stay away from signing Matt Carpenter.

There may not be a genuine need for a corner infielder primary guy like Matt Carpenter, but the Detroit Tigers should not get fooled by the appeal of what Carpenter has been. Though he brings versatility as an infielder, the Tigers should focus on adding a shortstop if they are bringing in another veteran to the infield.

The last three years of Carpenter’s career with the St. Louis Cardinals have been horrid and produced some sad stats. The three-time all-star and Silver Slugger award winner is not the same player that he used to be.

The Tigers have not been afraid to hand out a short-term deal to veterans, and even a one-year deal to add his bat is a scary thought. In 2021, Carpenter played in 130 games for the Cardinals, where he slashed just .169/.305/.275 with the highest strikeout percentage he’s seen over his 11-year career.

While the likelihood that Carpenter is on the Tigers radar is low, who knows exactly what Al Avila has planned this offseason. In the spirit of Halloween, signing Carpenter should leave fans quite scared of wasting money for a bat that has faltered quite a bit.