The Detroit Tigers finished at a disappointing 74-87 this year, ending the franchise's four-year run of AL Central titles. What do the Tigers need to do to get back into the division-winning groove in 2015? Read below as we take to Ranking The Detroit Tigers' 3 Biggest Offseason Needs.
3. Back-End Rotation Fit
Behind Justin Verlander and Anibal Sanchez in the rotation, there's a lot of question marks. Is Daniel Norris the ace of the future? Is Lobstein a tenable #4 or #5 starter going forward? Detroit's rotation was one of its biggest sources of inconsistency in 2015, and they'll likely look to address that with low-to-mid level free agent options. Keep an eye on Mike Leake. He's a workhorse who'll give the Tigers 180-200 innings of sub 4.00 ERA ball -- perfect for what the Tigers are looking for on the back end.
2. Reliable Closer
Bruce Rondon remains a huge question mark after he was dismissed from the MLB roster for "effort level" problems late in the season. Detroit remains behind Rondon as a potential long-term option, but they can't count on him to flip a 180 within the span of one offseason. Detroit would be best served looking at arms like Tyler Clippard in free agency. Or they could go the blockbuster route and flip some prospects for someone like Reds fireballer Aroldis Chapman.
1. Solve Left Field
After trading Yoenis Cespedes to the New York Mets before the deadline, the Tigers were left with a gaping hole in left field. They could always hitch their wagon to a Tyler Collins/Rajai Davis platoon, or they could make a run at someone like Gerardo Parra or the uber-flexible Ben Zobrist in free agency.
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