Joe Nathan to remain Detroit Tigers’ closer in 2015?

Detroit Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski said Joe Nathan would begin the 2015 season as the team’s closer, but he will need to perform to keep the job the entire year.

Joe Nathan had a rocky first season with the Detroit Tigers, but while GM Dave Dombrowski said he wants to address his bullpen this offseason (again), Nathan will likely enter the 2015 as the team’s closer, despite a 4.81 ERA in 58 innings this season, with only 54 strikeouts.

More from Detroit Tigers

Nathan, who turns 40 next month, signed a two-year deal with an option last offseason to join the Tigers, but blew a career-high seven games to go along with his 35 saves, and infamously clashed with Detroit fans. But Dombrowski said while Nathan was “inconsistent” in 2014, he’ll be the closer in 2015 if he performs.

“I would think he starts as our closer going into it,” Dombrowski said of Nathan. “But he has to perform up to the capabilities required of doing it.”

The bullpen was a major offseason concern of the Tigers last offseason, when Detroit brought in Nathan and setup man Joba Chamberlain to help stabilize the back of the bullpen following Detroit’s loss in the 2013 ALCS. Chamberlain was solid for Detroit, but Nathan was shaky, particularly in the first half of the season, and the Tigers were swept by the Baltimore Orioles in the ALDS this season.