Detroit Tigers: Potential Non-Tender Additions

Every season, players are non-tendered. Or, in other terms, they aren’t handed a new contract. These players hit the free-agent market.

Most are decisions to save money—non-tendering an underperforming player scheduled to be overpaid is a common occurrence. Theoretically, these players could re-sign with their old team, but some find new homes.

Non-tendered players go on to make major contributions at the major-league level. Justin Turner and Garrett Jones are two prime examples of this.

A number of former high-profile players are on the market, such as Kris Medlen, Everth Cabrera and Brandon Beachy. With other notable names available, it provides the Tigers with a unique opportunity to add players who weren’t previously available. It's new blood in the free-agency market, if you will.

Wesley Wright

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The Tigers could use extra bullpen depth. As is, the current group is a solid one. If Joe Nathan, Joakim Soria, Bruce Rondon, Luke Putkonen and Al Alburquerque can all pitch to their abilities, then manager Brad Ausmus could find himself with a shutdown back end of the bullpen.

Outside of those five, Detroit has question marks. With numerous relatively inexperienced relievers on the roster, the Tigers could use another veteran or two.

Enter Wesley Wright.

Though his career 4.17 ERA doesn’t suggest it, Wright has been an extremely effective reliever at the major league level. At just 29-years-old, he’s in the midst of his prime.

Since 2011, the former Astro has a 3.25 ERA in 166.1 innings over 226 appearances. During that time, the reliever had an impressive 157 strikeouts, compared to only 60 walks.

Last season, Wright posted a 3.17 ERA in 58 appearances. He’d be an ideal addition that would be both cheap and effective.

Logan Ondrusek

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While Wright has been effective for the last few years, Ondrusek had a down year in 2014.

The reliever broke onto the scene with the Reds in 2010, posting a 3.68 ERA in 60 appearances. He would prove himself a dependable big-league reliever with a 3.61 ERA in 241 appearances and 229.2 innings pitched.

Ondrusek was once part of a lockdown Cincinnati bullpen, but he struggled in 2014. Last season, the Reds reliever’s ERA was an ugly 5.49. Ondrusek posted a negative WAR in 2014, with a -0.9 number. It was the first time in his career that he registered a negative number.

Also 29, Ondrusek is the perfect low-risk, high-reward type of signing.

Alexi Ogando

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Like Ondrusek, Ogando had a rough year in 2014 after years of superb production. From 2010 to 2013, the former Rangers hurler posted a 3.12 ERA in 156 games over 381 innings. During that span he fanned 303 hitters.

Ogando is an extremely versatile pitcher who broke out as a reliever. He posted a 1.30 ERA in 2010 over 44 appearances, as well as a 3.27 ERA in 58 relief outing in 2012.

In 2011 and 2013, the Rangers used him as a starter. In 2011, Ogando earned an All-Star selection and won 13 games while pitching to a 3.51 ERA and striking out 126 batters in 169 innings pitched.

The one-time All-Star turned in a similar performance in 2013, with a 3.11 ERA in 104.1 innings pitched.

While Wright and Ondrusek would be good fits, Ogando would be a great fit.

Not only can he be an extremely effective late-innings option, but he can also be a weapon out of the bullpen—pitching two or three innings of shutdown ball when the team needs him to.

Ogando posted a 6.84 ERA in 2014, but at his best he would provide the Tigers with a more effective and dynamic version of Drew Smyly.

Wade LeBlanc

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Wright, Ondrusek and Ogando all have the potential to be impact pitchers for the Tigers. Should Detroit sign Wade LeBlanc, they likely won’t receive as much of an impact. Still, LeBlanc is worth a look.

With Detroit’s fifth rotation spot undetermined at present—and likely to be filled by an inexperienced youngster—signing LeBlanc to act as insurance waiting at Triple-A could be prudent.

In his only season as a full-time starter in 2010, LeBlanc went 8-12 with a respectable 4.25 ERA with the Padres. So, in the event that he has to pitch major innings in 2015, he’ll at least hold his own.

LeBlanc has achieved more success as a swingman. In 2012, he had a 3.67 ERA in 25 appearances (nine starts) for Miami. In Anaheim last season, he posted a 3.45 ERA in 10 appearances (three starts).

David Huff

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David Huff began his career as a starting pitcher—even winning 11 games in 2009—but has transitioned to the bullpen and found more success.

Last season was a breakout season of sorts for the 30-year-old Huff. After struggling with San Francisco to start the year, he thrived with the Yankees. During his time with New York, Huff pitched to an outstanding 1.85 ERA in 30 appearances, striking out 28 batters along the way.  

The former Indian would represent yet another low-risk deal for Detroit that could pay dividends down the road.

Everth Cabrera

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Cabrera led the league in stolen bases in 2012 with 44 and made the All-Star team in 2013 after hitting .283.

After being non-tendered by the Padres, Cabrera would be an intriguing addition to the Tigers. Even if his hitting regresses to somewhere near the .232 line he posted in 2014, he’d be worth a flier on.

Thanks to his dynamic speed (81 combined steals in 2012 and 2013), Cabrera would be an ideal pinch-running option for Detroit. Cabrera also provides solid defensive play. These two things, plus a comparatively better track record with the bat, would make him an upgrade over the Tigers’ current utility options of Andrew Romine, Eugenio Suarez and Hernan Perez.

Lastly, should Jose Iglesias not be able to handle a full workload, Detroit would have the luxury of being able to plug in a former All-Star (Cabrera) in his place.

Andy Dirks

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According to Tom Gage of the Detroit News, Dave Dombrowski said that the Tigers would have kept Dirks, who was lost to the Blue Jays on waivers, if he were healthy.

Detroit now has a chance to bring Dirks back.

The outfielder has played his entire career for the Tigers and was expected to play a large role with the team in 2014, only to be sidelined by injury.

Dirks was once one of Detroit’s best hitting prospects and showed his worth with a .322 batting average in 2012. Because he’s predominantly a corner outfielder and can hit righties (.260 batting average against in 2013), he’d be an ideal fit to form a platoon with Rajai Davis in right field. Dirks could also play right while Davis occasionally slides to center field to spell Anthony Gose.

The former Tiger would also greatly improve the team’s bench, where the light-hitting Ezequiel Carrera and Don Kelly were options as pinch hitters.

An added bonus of bringing in Dirks is that the team could bring Tyler Collins and Steven Moya along at a less frantic pace. This would be better for their development.

All stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.