need to liven things up around here:
My offseason (I reserve the right to change my mind in 30 minutes):
Offer Gleyber Torres a QO. If he declines, take the draft pick and sign Jorge Polanco (32) to 3 yr/$33 million contract. Switch-hitter, made $8M last season. Plays 2B, but likely could play 3B, if needed, to increase his versatility and accommodate McGonigle and/or Keith. Lower OBP than Torres, but more power and position flexibility.
Sign Dylan Cease (29) to 4 yr/$100 million contract. Slipped last season, but young enough and solid track record that some Fetterin' would be worth making the commitment.
Offer Jack Flaherty a QO, if he declines his option. If he accepts, he’d get a $2M raise, but we’d only be committed to one season with him. Of course, if he passes, take the draft pick compensation.
Trade Parker Meadows and Justin-Henry Malloy to the Chicago White Sox for CF Luis Robert. Still only 28, with team options through ’27 season, I’d roll the dice that he can get closer to his previous ’23 performance. Meadows and Malloy are both expendable in this situation, but still have upside, youth, and affordability to be attractive to a rebuilding team like the White Sux.
Re-sign Kyle Finnegan and go after one of Ryan Helsey, Robert Suarez or Edwin Diaz for the bullpen, to combine with Will Vest. Roll the dice that some combination of Holton, Hurter, Montero, Foley, Lee, Lange can fill in the gaps. Instead of going the free agent route, I could see Harris surrendering some prospects for relief targets with swing and miss who are controllable for a few seasons.
Consider trading Casey Mize to the Mets (or any other team) for prospects, if Flaherty comes back. The Mets need SP, and I don’t see the Tigers signing Mize after next season. I think it would be a mistake to not capitalize on the season he just put up.
(None of these acquisitions would preclude the Tigers financially rom re-signing Skubal, if that was an opportunity.)
The Lineup:
SS McGonigle
CF Robert
LF Greene
1B Tork
RF Carpenter
2B Polanco
3B Keith
C Dingler
DH Baez/McKinstry
Rotation:
Skubal
Cease
Flaherty (or Mize)
Olson
Melton
Bullpen:
Holton
Montero
Hurter
Foley/Lange
Finnegan
Vest
Diaz, Suarez or Helsey