Detroit Tigers could turn veteran pitcher’s career around in MLB free agency

The Detroit Tigers are about to enter the most critical offseason in a long time as the team looks to exploit the 2024 weaknesses that prevented the most unlikely of postseason games from turning into a Cinderella story for the ages.

Detroit was eliminated from the ALDS by division rivals the Cleveland Guardians in a decisive Game 5, but the road to getting there was a roller coaster after posting near double-digit games in late August before making the playoffs and winning The Houston Astros are in the finals. Wild Card Round. If the Tigers had more reliable starting pitching behind Tarik Skubal, the race could potentially go on even longer.

Finding quality guns to add to your rotation should be a top priority this winter, as there are many quality titles available. There are many directions Detroit could go, from spending big money on pairing a second ace with Skubal to simply trying to fill out the rotation with solid starting pitching without breaking the bank. One player who could provide a balance between both strategies is Boston Red Sox starter Nick Pivetta. FanSided’s Roger Castillo called Pivetta a guy Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris should covet as someone with a high ceiling and a player the team’s elite coaching staff can get the most out of.

Harris knows he can sell by improving pitchers, and Pivetta, who has been inconsistent at times for Boston, would give the Tigers someone who could give them pitching that their starters couldn’t do outside of Skubal in 2024,” Castillo wrote.

Pivetta won’t come cheap: Spotrac pegs him at $60 million over four years, but that’s still far less than what the top names in free agency would cost. As Castillo noted, Pivetta is a strikeout specialist and would be a perfect complement to Skubal. Pivetta spent four seasons in Boston and never had an ERA below 4.0, but he has become consistently confident in eating innings and knows how to get people out of games.

$15 million per year might be a little steep for a player of Pivetta’s caliber, but if Detroit can get that number down just a little, he could be a perfect fit and seamlessly transition into the Tiger rotation.