Tigers GM: Adding 'established starter' is a 'necessity'

Detroit Tigers general manager Al Avila is looking forward to a busy offseason as the club enters the next stage of its rebuild. One of Avila's top priorities is to bolster the team's young rotation with a little veteran presence.

"I would say an established starter would be a necessity," Avila said Tuesday, according to Jason Beck of MLB.com.

As currently constructed, Detroit features a rotation of promising hurlers in the early part of their careers like Casey Mize, Tarik Skubal, and Matt Manning. Left-hander Matthew Boyd, a rotation mainstay since the middle of 2015, has one more year of arbitration remaining before he's eligible for free agency unless he's non-tendered.

The Tigers could pursue a trade for an experienced arm or look to free agency. Two former Tigers, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, may be the most appealing pitchers available on the open market, though the list also includes Clayton Kershaw, Robbie Ray, Carlos Rodon, Kevin Gausman, Anthony DeSclafani, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Noah Syndergaard.

A starter isn't the only thing on Avila's wishlist, either. The Tigers already reportedly plan to take a run at shortstop Carlos Correa when he hits free agency this offseason as well.

The Tigers haven't reached the postseason since 2014 when they went 90-72 en route to an AL Central title. They've posted losing records in six of the last seven seasons since, but they made significant inroads in 2021. Detroit finished third in the division at 77-85 after posting a disastrous 8-19 record in April.