Top 5 Upcoming Free Agent Starting Pitchers
By Dan Jenkins
@DanTJenkins
During the most recent MLB offseason, ace pitchers Max Scherzer and Jon Lester set the bar for what a front-end starting pitcher can get paid as a free agent on the open market. Scherzer signed for $210 million with the Washington Nationals and Lester inked for $155 million with the Chicago Cubs.
There will be a few pitchers who will reach those numbers in the coming offseason, with multiple teams looking to shell out top-dollar contracts for an ace. The Detroit Tigers are one of those teams.
After losing Scherzer in the offseason and trading David Price at the trade deadline, the Tigers remain without a true ace going into 2016.
Here's a list of the top five starting pitchers who will be available come free agency following the World Series...
[Note: All statistics are from prior to August 7]
5. Jeff Samardzija
22 games, 4.35 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 6.7 K/9
Jeff Samardzija is having one of his worst seasons as a professional baseball player, but that won't stop him from getting paid this winter. Even though most of his more traditional numbers are inflated, his FIP (fielding independent pitching) this season (3.80) has remained close to his career average (3.74).
Even though he plays for the mediocre Chicago White Sox, Samardzija has just cracked the top 25 in the American League for run support for starting pitchers (4.23 runs per game). It's likely that he will sign with a team like Toronto or Detroit that will score a lot of runs in support.
4. Jordan Zimmerman
22 games, 3.54 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 6.6 K/9
Jordan Zimmerman has been a mainstay in the Washington Nationals rotation for almost seven years now. On the tail-end of a career year, Zimmerman threw a no-hitter against the Miami Marlins at the end of last season.
With Scherzer due $22 million and Steven Strasburg ready for arbitration, the Nats will most likely have to part with at least one starting pitcher going into next season -- either Zimmerman or Doug Fister. Zimmerman and the Nationals tried to work out a long-term deal at the beginning of the season, but it seems that the righty will test free agent waters.
3. Scott Kazmir
21 games, 2.08 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 7.9 K/9
Scott Kazmir has been the most underrated, underappreciated ace in the MLB over the past few years. He has been nearly unhittable this season, allowing just 0.74 hits per inning on average.
After some tough seasons in Anaheim and Cleveland -- including a nearly two-year-long minor league stint -- Kazmir really turned his career around. With Oakland and Houston over the past year and a half, Kazmir has posted 2.95 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP.
Because of his track record, Kazmir will likely sign a deal this offseason similar to the one he inked with Oakland in 2013 (two-years, $22 million) which would be a bargain in the current market.
2. Johnny Cueto
21 games, 2.69 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 8.1 K/9
Johnny Cueto has been nothing short of dominant throughout most of his career. Over the past four seasons, he's tallied a 2.41 ERA complemented by a 1.07 WHIP. Shockingly, throughout that entire stretch Cueto never won a Cy Young award -- mainly because of Clayton Kershaw.
Cueto will demand an obscene amount of money this offseason, likely pushing the $200 million figure. Teams like the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs will be lining up with their checkbooks to bring the ace to their squad.
1. David Price
22 games, 2.45 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 8.7 K/9
After eight years in the major leagues, David Price is ready to test the free agent waters. The lefty will easily make himself one of the top-paid pitchers of all time this offseason, with all signs pointing toward a $200+ million contract on the horizon.
The former Cy Young winner is the definition of consistent, posting a 1.14 career WHIP and allowing 0.88 hits per inning on average. Price could end up with the highest bidder, or return to a familiar setting, playing for manager Joe Maddon and the Cubs.
Wherever he signs, Price will likely get a record-breaking deal.
What do you think -- which of these pitchers could the Detroit Tigers realistically sign in the offseason? Let us know by voting in the poll below!
