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Tigers hoping reliever Mark Lowe’s career-low year an aberration

Mark Lowe is entering a crucial off-season.

At 33, the Detroit Tigers’ right-handed reliever is coming off perhaps his career-worst season, given the circumstances. Last winter, the team signed him to a two-year, $11-million contract to serve as a set-up man. He started slow in spring training, then lost high-leverage situations just a month and a half into the season.

He finished with a 7.11 ERA and 1.58 WHIP in 54 appearances. Lowe was relegated to a mop-up role near midseason and improved in the second half, but in the lowest leverage of situations. Because he signed a multiyear deal, the Tigers opted against cutting him and were forced to carry an extra reliever for the final months of the season.