Detroit Tigers Rumored Free Agent Target Predicted To Land With Tampa Bay Rays
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Many expected the Detroit Tigers to go on a spending spree this offseason after their shocking run to the postseason last October.
But, they have operated on the opposite end of the spectrum.
The Tigers have been calculated with their approach to free agency, spending very little. To this point, they have agreed to deals with only three players; second baseman Gleyber Torres and starting pitchers Alex Cobb and Jack Flaherty.
Torres and Cobb both signed one-year, $15 million deals. Flaherty agreed to a two-year, $35 million contract, but for all intents and purposes, it is also a one-year deal as he will be looking to opt out and hit the market again next winter in hopes of landing a lucrative multi-year deal.
Those three veterans will certainly raise the team’s floor in 2025, filling gaps that existed coming into the offseason.
Second base wasn’t the team’s most pressing need offensively, but Torres provides some pop from the right side of the plate. His arrival has moved Colt Keith over to first base, removing Spencer Torkelson from the lineup.
Starting pitching depth was the team’s No. 1 need and they addressed it with two solid veterans. They will slot in behind Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal alongside Reese Olson and star prospect Jackson Jobe in a high-upside rotation.
With spring training just days away, the Tigers should still be keeping their options open when it comes to their lineup.
Torres alone won’t help overcome all of their shortcomings, as adding another power bat to the mix would make a lot of sense.
One player who has been connected to Detroit this offseason is designated hitter J.D. Martinez.
The 37-year-old has experience with the organization, spending parts of four seasons with the club from 2014 to 2017 when he broke out after a tough start to his career with the Houston Astros.
He made his first All-Star team in Detroit in 2015, earning a Silver Slugger Award and finishing 15th in the MVP voting.
Martinez is now in the twilight of his career but is still a productive hitter, earning a spot on the All-Star team from 2021-2023. His numbers with the New York Mets last season aren’t great, but he smashed left-handed pitching still.
With a left-handed heavy lineup, the slugger would be a nice addition to the Tigers lineup in at least a platoon role.
However, Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report believes they are going to miss out on adding him. The MLB writer has predicted the veteran will land with the Tampa Bay Rays, where a path to playing time is more readily available and he’d face less competition for at-bats.
His veteran presence would do well in Detroit, as they look to take the next steps and solidify themselves as legitimate playoff contenders.
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Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.