Tigers Need Rotation Help

After watching Rick Porcello get hit around in the first two innings last night, it became more apparent that the Tigers may actually need some rotation help.

Justin Verlander and Edwin Jackson have both been great this season. They are probably one of the top-five pitching duos in all of baseball so that’s set. 

However, the other three spots in the rotation are a bit questionable at best. The Tigers can get by with a weak fifth guy, most teams do. However, in a tight division race, it’s going to be tough to win it with only two decent starters.

It’s possible that Porcello is just plain worn out. He’s thrown more this season than he has in the past, and he’s doing it against big league hitters, not just minor league or high school guys. Luke French has been pretty good, but he’s only made four starts in his big league career.

I think the real wild card here is Armando Galarraga. He was lights-out at the beginning of the year and then embarrassed himself for about two months. However, Galarraga has rebounded a bit over the past month.

In his last four starts here’s what Galarraga has done:

• 1-1, 26. 2 innings, 1 HR allowed, 2.36 ERA, .183 AVG against.

Not bad, right? 

As a matter of fact, since the end of May, Galarraga’s ERA is an acceptable 4.10. He’s not a Cy Young winner or an All-Star, but he is starting to show that he’s probably a league average starter. You’ll take that from a number four guy.

Sadly, Galarraga is probably the Tigers third best starter right now and there are no more internal options that I can see. Dontrelle Willis and Nate Robertson and done.  Let’s just pretend they don’t exist. 

Jeremy Bonderman is close to joining them. The guy can’t stay healthy and when he is, his fastball tops out at about 88mph. Zach Miner hasn’t been stable enough in the bullpen to earn a shot at the rotation.

I mentioned earlier in the season that the Tigers should look at a guy like Paul Byrd.  Byrd hasn’t played at all this season, but he would be a cheap rental for the rest of the season, and wouldn’t cost the Tigers a single prospect.

Starters available via trade are guys like Roy Halladay and Zach Duke. Halladay is obviously too pricey and even Duke would cost the Tigers 3-4 prospects. 

No thanks.

Any one have any ideas?