| Detroit Free Press
Detroit Tigers ‘looking for more pitching,’ Al Avila says
Detroit Tigers general manager Al Avila talks Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, about his team entering spring training, says they could use more pitching.
Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press
LAKELAND, Fla. — Spring training is here, and the Detroit Tigers face unanswered questions.
The Tigers don’t have a solidified first baseman, and the opening at third base is just as unclear. Managing young arms — Casey Mize, Tarik Skubal and Matt Manning — and bounce-back candidates — Matthew Boyd, Michael Fulmer and Jose Urena — with innings limits keeps the organization wondering if a six-man rotation is inevitable.
“Today we had our staff meeting, my first staff meeting with them,” Tigers general manager Al Avila said Tuesday. “We went over a lot of the players, most of the players that are going to be in camp.”
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And how does the outfield shake out, considering the offseason signings of Robbie Grossman and Nomar Mazara? What about the backup catcher spot, behind new starter Wilson Ramos? And could Renato Nunez, who signed a minor-league deal, solve the infield logjam?
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Avila knows clarity on those scenarios will come with time in spring training. Pitchers and catchers report Wednesday, with the Tigers’ first full-squad workout Monday.
“We have a lot of questions to answer,” Avila said. “We just wanted to add enough pieces to the puzzle, or should I say players to the roster, that at the end, we can find a place for everybody and make the team better.”
Another arm
This winter, the Tigers added Urena, Grossman, Mazara, Ramos and re-signed second baseman Jonathan Schoop. Don’t expect more major-league deals, but Avila won’t rule out another starting pitcher on a minor-league contract.
Two of the top free-agent pitchers are Taijuan Walker, who the Tigers were interested in earlier this offseason, and ex-Tiger Rick Porcello. Unless Avila goes over his budget, neither of them will pitch for Detroit in 2021.
“We’re definitely looking for more pitching as we speak,” Avila said. “Whether it be a major-league contract or a minor-league with a (spring training invite), I’m not really sure. But we’re definitely looking. … I think one more starter would be ideal.”
Left-hander Derek Holland and right-hander Erasmo Ramirez, each non-roster invites to spring training, have ample experience as starters. Still, they are more likely to end up in the bullpen if they make the team.
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Six-man rotation
Manager AJ Hinch and pitching coach Chris Fetter continue to discuss a six-man rotation; Avila said the conversations are leaning toward using six starters throughout the bulk of the season. Left-handed long relievers Daniel Norris and Tyler Alexander are in the mix for rotation jobs.
“I just don’t know how you’re going to get through all the innings,” Avila said. “There’s going to be flexibility. I don’t know that we need it right at the beginning of the season, but certainly, once we get underway. And we’ll make adjustments.”
Thoughts on Nunez
First, Avila made sure to credit assistant general manager David Chadd for tracking Nunez, making him a priority and getting the 26-year-old slugger to sign a minor-league deal with a camp invite.
That’s because Nunez remains under team control through the 2024 season and doesn’t have to join the 40-man roster right away. But he could be the Opening Day first baseman, allowing Jeimer Candelario to shift back to third base.
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“The most ideal thing would be for a team to say, ‘OK, here’s my third baseman. He’s been with me for three years, and he’s an All-Star,'” Avila said. “And you have players that, this is their position, and you know they’re going to be penciled in every single day.
“Well, we don’t have that luxury right now because we’re still trying to build to that point. So, he could be a part of that infield. … I promise you by the end of spring training, the staff and us will have it figured out.”
Nunez has 43 home runs and 121 RBIs in 203 games, with a .247 batting average, through the last two seasons with the Baltimore Orioles. Of those homers, 31 were in 2019. He was designed for assignment and released in November.
“He’s a real power hitter, and he’s a young man,” Avila said. “He could be considered, just like any other young guys we have, part of the future. That’s how young he is. And he’s already put up big power numbers. We’ll work with him at first base on his defense.”
A full outfield
Four outfielders are all but guaranteed to make the Opening Day roster: Grossman, Mazara, JaCoby Jones and Victor Reyes. Others will compete for a possible fifth outfield spot: Daz Cameron, Christin Stewart, Derek Hill and Rule 5 draft pick Akil Baddoo.
If Baddoo doesn’t make the 26-man roster and remain on it for the entire 2021 season, he must be offered back to the Minnesota Twins. The 22-year-old hasn’t played above the High-A level.
“He’s a really good-looking prospect,” Avila said. “He’s a true center fielder. What we’re hoping for is that what we see in spring training is enough (to keep him on the roster) … so he can contribute toward the team winning a game. Then, he’s got a better chance.”
Stewart is on the outside looking in after hitting .167 in 36 games last season. He was demoted to the alternate training site in Toledo in early September because of his offensive woes.
“With Stewart, he’s going to have to come in and hit,” Avila said. “His tool is the bat. If he can hit, his fielding will be adequate. It’s about the bat, and he’ll have an opportunity to swing it.”
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Cameron injured his arm playing in Puerto Rico this December. Since then, he has been in Lakeland rehabbing. Avila expects him to be at full health next week for workouts. Based on the outfield numbers, Cameron seems likely to start the year in Triple-A Toledo.
“He’s a guy that we feel has a future here,” Avila said. “A lot of upside potential that is still untapped.”
Miggy updates
It’s spring training, so 37-year-old Miguel Cabrera is healthy.
This mantra from the front office and coaching staff is repeated each year, but this time it holds new value. Cabrera wants to play first base, going as far as to send Hinch and Avila videos of him training at the position this offseason “to show us that he can still play first base.”
“In talking to AJ, and AJ has talked to Cabrera, he’s open-minded to giving him some innings at first base,” Avila said. “From a health perspective, he’s really worked hard. Hopefully, he does stay healthy. If he does, he has the potential to continue to be an offensive productive player.”
Last year, Cabrera hit .250 with 10 homers and 35 RBIs, appearing in 57 of the team’s 58 games.
“If you recall, in the last month of the season, he really turned it on and started hitting up a storm as he got into a groove,” Avila said. “I expect him to come into spring training ready to go.”
Ramos or (Alex) Avila?
Avila was blunt when discussing the choice to bring in a catcher. The decision, he said, came down to Ramos or his son, Alex Avila. The conversations fluctuated between grabbing an offense-first catcher or a defense-first catcher.
The Tigers went with the offense by signing the 33-year-old Ramos to a one-year, $2 million contract. Alex Avila took $1.5 million from the Washington Nationals on his year-long deal.
“We’ve been so bad offensively behind the plate,” Avila said. “But nobody ever said, ‘This guy (Ramos) is a butcher behind the plate, he’s going to be terrible.’ Most of our guys felt he’ll be fine behind the plate. He’s a good leader and gets involved with his pitchers. We don’t see it’s going to be a problem.”
Ramos hit .239 with five home runs and 15 RBIs in 45 games for the New York Mets last season. In 2019, he registered a .288 batting average, 14 homers and 73 RBIs in 141 games.
Evan Petzold is a sports reporter at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold.