{"id":1476,"date":"2016-11-05T21:02:22","date_gmt":"2016-11-06T01:02:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonbaseball.com\/?p=1476"},"modified":"2016-11-05T21:02:22","modified_gmt":"2016-11-06T01:02:22","slug":"detroit-tigers-2016-offseason-needs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2016\/11\/05\/detroit-tigers-2016-offseason-needs\/","title":{"rendered":"Detroit Tigers 2016 Offseason Needs"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Detroit Tigers<\/strong> finished 2016 with a record of 86-75. Detroit remained in contention for a playoff bid until the final week of the season but was unable to breakthrough. The Tigers have missed out on the playoffs the past two seasons after a string of four straight appearances. It was a disappointing season for a team with high expectations and the fourth highest payroll in Major League Baseball<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Now it is up to the front office to make the necessary adjustments to keep Detroit competitive in a tight division. The Cleveland Indians <\/strong>won the division and competed in the World Series<\/strong> this year. The Kansas City Royals <\/strong>are just a year removed from winning a championship and played in consecutive World Series. Detroit has many pieces in place to contend, but the team must be improved heading into Spring Training<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Detroit Tigers 2016 Offseason Needs<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Starting Pitching <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Detroit must improve their starting rotation this offseason. Six pitchers made 18+ starts for the Tigers this season, but only two of those pitchers, Justin Verlander<\/a> <\/strong>and Michael Fulmer<\/a><\/strong>, posted quality seasons. Anibal Sanchez<\/a> <\/strong>finished with\u00a0a 7-13 record alongside a miserable 5.87 ERA. High-priced acquisition Jordan Zimmermann<\/a> <\/strong>could not stay healthy on his way to a 4.87 ERA over 18 starts.<\/p>\n

Further compounding the problem is that Sanchez, Verlander, and Zimmermann are owed a combined $62.8 million for 2017 alone. The best way for Detroit to improve their rotation would be through a trade, but it may still be necessary for the team to eat some salary in a deal.<\/p>\n

Get Jordan Zimmermann<\/a> Healthy<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Zimmermann signed a $110 million contract with the Tigers<\/a> this past offseason. Though hefty, the contract was understandable given Zimmermann\u2019s track record. He was coming off four straight seasons of 30+ starts and 3.5+ WAR. Zimmermann also maintained a 3.40 FIP and a 7.4 strikeouts per nine innings over seven seasons with the\u00a0Washington Nationals<\/strong>. All signs pointed to the fact that Zimmermann was a safe investment.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, injuries derailed his effectiveness and limited him to 18 starts in his first season with the Tigers. Zimmermann can still be a quality starting pitcher, and Detroit must rely on him to perform better in 2017. Making sure he is healthy going into Spring Training should be a top priority for the Tigers.<\/p>\n

Closer<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Francisco Rodriguez<\/a> <\/strong>occupied the closer role for Detroit and performed well this season. Rodriguez appeared in 61 games and notched 44 saves with a 3.24 ERA. However, his contract expired and he will be a free agent. Rodriguez will not be the top relief pitcher on the open market, but that could very well help Detroit\u2019s efforts to re-sign him. The Tigers will not have the funds to pursue top relievers Mark Melancon<\/a><\/strong>, Aroldis Chapman<\/a><\/strong>, and Kenley Jansen<\/a><\/strong>. Detroit\u2019s best option is to bring back Rodriguez on a short-term deal. Rodriguez is 34 years old, but has demonstrated he can still be effective, with 126 saves over his past three seasons.<\/p>\n

Main Photo:<\/p>\n

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Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n