The Detroit Tigers had an overall payroll of $86,348,945 million during the 2021 season, good for 24th in the league. Here’s a look at the playoff teams, including Wild Cards, from the season:
As you can see only 1 of the 10 teams had a payroll below that of the Tigers and 8 of the 10 were above the league average payroll of $130,817,077 million. Currently the Detroit Tigers have only $78,350,000 on the books for the 2022 season; $32 million of which is Miguel Cabrera’s contract, good for 40.84% of the team payroll. To get themselves up to league average in payroll and become competitive they will need to go out and spend north of $65 million this off season, I’m hoping they’ll go even higher and climb into the Top-15 in total payroll for the 2022 season. Below, you will find my wish list of free agents that I would like to see wearing the Old English D. Remember, this is a wish list, this isn’t something that I think/believe Christ Ilitch and Al Avila will go out and do, it’s just fantasy.
Corey Seager (SS) – Seager is coming off a 1yr/$13.75m deal with the LA Dodgers and is expected to sign a large contract via FA this offseason. He is a 2x All-Star, 2x Silver Slugger and the 2016 NL Rookie of the Year and has solid career numbers at .297/.367/.504 with an .870 OPS (145 OPS+). Seager can provide 20+ homeruns from the shortstop position along with relatively solid defensive production; he’s posted a .969 career fielding percentage at shortstop to date. Seager does have one downfall, his inability to stay on the field. Over the course of his 7-year career he has only managed 3 seasons of 100+ games. Will other teams want to lock him up for a long-term 8-10yr/200-250m deal or can a team like Detroit sneak in with a 5yr/$125m deal?
Kyle Schwarber (1B/OF/C/DH) – Schwarber is a guy that will be a fantastic signing for whatever team is able to scoop him up this offseason. Before being traded to the Boston Red Sox he had signed a contract that included a mutual option for the 2022 season that was good or $11 million. Typically, these mutual options are rarely exercised so Schwarber should be on the FA market once the postseason is concluded. In not having a true position, Schwarber brings a great amount of flexibility in where you put him in your lineup on a day-to-day basis. He can play first base, the outfield and could be your backup or emergency catcher all while being able to DH as well. For Detroit, Schwarber would check quite a few boxes. He would provide the left-handed power this team has been lacking since the departure of Prince Fielder (153 career homeruns in 664 games, 1 per every 14 at-bats), solid backup to Schoop at first until Torkelson makes his big-league debut, extra depth in the outfield (especially if Derek Hill isn’t healthy enough to start the 2022 season in Detroit) and an extra bat for the DH slot, assuming after Miggy gets No. 3,000 his at-bats may be lessened as the season progresses. Would 4yr/$65m be enough to bring him to Detroit?
Alex Wood (SP) – Wood had a rough 2019 and 2020 season, however, bounced back with the Giants in 2021 posting a 10-4 record with a 3.83 ERA, 1.18 WHIP to go along with 9.9 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 during the regular season. Over his 9-year career he is 15 games over .500 and will make a solid middle to top of the rotation pitcher with whatever team he ends up with in 2022. For Detroit, with the loss of Turnbull to Tommy John surgery and the decision that needs to be made with Matthew Boyd the Tigers could use a veteran starter to the young guns in Mize, Skubal and Manning. Could a 4yr/$52m deal get Wood to put on the Old English D?
Update: Signed with San Francisco. Deal: 2 years, $10 Million.
Corey Knebel (RP) – Could a reunion with his former team be a possibility for Knebel? Over 226 games he has put together solid numbers; 3.23 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 336 K, 115 BB and most impressively a 12.6 K/9. The one area he could improve in is his 4.0 BB/9, but that’s not necessarily a career killer. Despite Soto being the teams closer, Knebel brings closers experience to the table having collected 60 in his career (.789 career SV%) along with another 41 career holds. With his 95-97 MPH fastball he would bring some extra depth to the bullpen that could be used in several roles, specifically the setup man. Could a 4yr/$36m get it done?
Marcus Semien (2B/SS) – I know I already put Seager on here at shortstop, but I would like to retool the entire middle infield for the 2022 season and Semien is my guy to do that at second base. While Schoop played solid second in his opportunities during the 2021 season I believe he is our everyday first baseman at the start of 2022, with days off here and there for a Miggy start and then a platoon type role once Torkelson gets the call. Semien put together a career year with the Blue Jays this season batting .265/.334/.538 with an OPS of .873. He clubbed 45 homeruns and 39 doubles to go along with his first career 100+ RBI season (102) and WAR of 7.1 while managing to stay healthy and play all 162 games. He has also played in 150+ games 5 times in his 9-year career. He has a track record that indicates he would be able to provide Detroit 25+ homeruns, 70+ RBI along with solid defense at the second base position (.982 career FLD% at second in 176 games). Semien is the only player that I don’t think will leave his original team, it would be insane for Toronto to not offer him a deal to stay, but could Detroit become part of the conversation with a 5yr/$115m offer?
Alex Avila (Minor League Coach) – This is the name I’m assuming I will take the most heat for. I’m sure there are a lot of fans out there that think 1 Avila within the organization is enough or too many, but with Detroit he was a productive bat (.245/350/404, .740 OPS, 77HR, 314 RBI) while being an extremely solid defensive catcher (.995 career FD%, 30% CS rate) who called a great game. Avila was able to handle a pitching staff that, at one point, included Cy Young winners Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Rick Porcello, and David Price. I believe that if a team were able to add him to their minor league coaching staff in some kind of player development role, he would be a wealth of knowledge for young players, particularly catchers, coming up through the ranks.
Please remember, this is just a wish list not anything that I think will actually happen this offseason. We all have our fantasies and dreams for our favorite teams, and these are some players that I think will be able to help this organization become a contender once again! Are there any players that you would like to see the Tigers go after in Free Agency? If so, who?