Tigers: 3 free agents to sign and 1 to avoid this offseason

While the young starting rotation featuring the likes of Mize, Skubal, and Fulmer is going to be what leads the Tigers to wins this year, the lack of a veteran in that rotation could prompt the Tigers to look to the free-agent market for some age and experience to add into the equation. Porcello is a former Cy Young award winner who spent most of his formative years in the pros with the Tigers, helping them to plenty of postseason success along the way. While a reunion with Porcello might seem nice, Detroit needs to stick to their youth movement rather than taking a chance on an underperforming veteran.

After Porcello won the Cy Young, he has been a completely below-average starting pitcher. His 93 ERA+ and 4.87 ERA, which included an unsightly 5.64 mark in 12 starts with the Mets last year, don’t exactly scream that he’s headed for one of the best seasons of his career, as his regression has been painful to watch. If the Tigers are going to put a wild card in their rotation, they’re better off putting a young prospect out there for a few games instead of rolling the dice on a decaying veteran.