List Of Detroit Tigers Free Agents: Who Should Come Back?
By Dan Jenkins
@DanTJenkins
Now that the World Series is over, it's time to start looking toward what the Detroit Tigers are going to do during the offseason.
The Tigers have six players who are eligible for free agency on Friday evening at midnight (including Joe Nathan, whose team option is not expected to be exercised by the Tigers.)
Here's a look at the six players, the seasons they put together in 2015 and their outlook for 2016...
C Alex Avila
67 games, .191 avg., 4 home runs, 25 RBIs, .626 OPS
Alex Avila missed most of 2015 with a knee injury and was soundly beat-out by rookie James McCann for the starting catcher's spot in Motown. Avila had one solid season in 2011, when he made the All-Star team, but has been on a steady decline ever since.
General Manager Al Avila -- Alex's father -- hinted that the team will likely not bring him back for 2016.
OF Rajai Davis
112 games, .258 avg., 8 home runs, 30 RBIs, 18 stolen bases, .746 OPS
Since the beginning of 2014, Rajai Davis has been a solid platoon player in the Tigers' outfield. Davis saw more playing time following both the 2014 and 2015 trading deadlines, when the team traded Austin Jackson and Yoenis Cespedes, respectively.
At 35, Davis isn't getting any younger, but can still motor around the bases. He remains the favorite among these six players to return to the Tigers lineup in 2016.
LHP Tom Gorzelanny
48 games, 5.95 ERA, 8.2 K/9IP, 1.73 WHIP
Tom Gorzelannny was brought in at the beginning of 2015 as a low risk/high reward, left-handed bullpen option for the Tigers. The move didn't work out well, as Gorzelanny was designated for assignment to Triple-A Toledo on July 3.
He would eventually return to the Tigers bullpen, but saw very little success in his time wearing the Olde English D.
RHP Alfredo Simon
31 games, 5.05 ERA, 5.6 K/9IP, 1.44 WHIP
As it turned out, Alfredo Simon was one of the Tigers' best starting pitchers of 2015. That shows just how bad their rotation was, featuring 12 different players who started games.
Aside from David Price's first half and Justin Verlander's second half, Simon was the best of the rest. His inconsistency was his downfall -- he gave up two or fewer runs in three consecutive games just twice last season. If he is brought back it will most likely be as a bullpen option.
LHP Randy Wolf
8 games, 6.23 ERA, 7.3 K/9IP, 1.76 WHIP
Randy Wolf was brought to Detroit as an emergency starter after the Tigers traded David Price to the Toronto Blue Jays. He filled in as an OK veteran starter, but was mostly underwhelming.
Fans should not expect Wolf back with the Tigers in 2016.
RHP Joe Nathan
Pitched 1/3 inning before season-ending injury
Joe Nathan has a $10 million team option for 2016 that the Tiger will likely not exercise. Nathan's time in Detroit will be remembered for high expectations and booing, unfortunately.
Brought in at the beginning of 2014, Nathan was expected to be the closer the Tigers needed, but couldn't regain the form that made him so dominant in Texas and Minnesota.
Who -- if anyone -- should the Tigers bring back in 2016? Vote for all or none in the poll below!
