It has been a quiet offseason for the Detroit Tigers for the most part.
Coming into the winter, the Tigers were a team that had new-found expectations after an incredible campaign in 2024.
Last year, Detroit went on to have one of the best second halves in all of baseball and snapped a lengthy postseason drought. In October, the Tigers kept the momentum going by eliminating the Houston Astros in the American League Wild Card round.
By defeating the Astros, Detroit proved they could compete in the American League and it drastically changed the course of the franchise.
This offseason, the hope was that the Tigers would spend on some marquee-free agents to help solidify a young core. However, besides a couple of veteran signings, the team has been largely quiet so far.
Despite their success, there are still two major needs for the team; adding a power hitter into the middle of the lineup and finding a sidekick for their ace Tarik Skubal.
Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report recently spoke about the biggest need for the Tigers being their starting rotation. He highlighted a potential reunion with Max Scherzer as the best option to fix that issue.
“A reunion with Scherzer would add a quality veteran to the mix while giving the future Hall of Famer a chance to join a playoff contender on the rise.”
Bringing back Scherzer would be a fun reunion in Detroit considering it’s where he became a household name. However, at 40 years old now, father time is likely coming for the three-time Cy Young winner.
Last season with the Texas Rangers, injuries resulted in the former ace barely pitching, but when he is on the mound and healthy, he has been pretty good.
With the New York Mets and the Rangers in 2023, the right-hander totaled a 13-6 record and 3.77 ERA. Those are some impressive numbers for a pitcher of his age, and it proves that he could still make an impact if he can stay healthy.
Aside from Skubal, the starting rotation for Detroit has a lot of potential but is still very much unproven. Since the team should be in a win-now mindset, adding a veteran like Scherzer coupled with the addition of Alex Cobb would give this team plenty of veteran leadership in the rotation.
Even though he might not be an ace anymore, he could still have a positive impact on the Tigers and fill what is a need for the franchise.
