According to Fox Sports' Jon Morosi, the Detroit Tigers are looking to add the Rangers' Joakim Soria and Padres' Joaquin Benoit to bolster a struggling bullpen. His colleague, Ken Rosenthal, reported on Twitter that a "rival exec" said that the team "does not want RP who views himself as pure closer." Which, according to Rosenthal, would exclude the Padres' Huston Street, who appears to be headed to the Angels anyway.
Detroit Tigers look to add Joakim Soria, Joaquin Benoit
With one of the worst bullpens in the majors, the Tigers are looking south and west for help.
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Why this makes sense:
Although Soria is currently the Rangers’ closer, it seems he may be willing to take on a different role if he was traded to the Tigers, who currently sit on top of the AL Central.
As for Benoit, he’s a solid reliever who has pitched well this season. He would also be making a semi-triumphant return to the Motor City just months after signing a two-year deal with the Padres. Benoit had a previous three-year stint as the Tigers’ set-up man and spent time as their closer.
And considering how bad Detroit’s bullpen has been -- they have the fifth-highest bullpen ERA and the third-highest opponent’s batting average in the majors -- they need as much help as they can possibly get.
Why this doesn’t make sense:
Given that Soria replaced Joe Nathan as the Rangers' closer, it might be odd for him to once again be a set-up man behind Nathan, who left Texas to become the Tigers' closer. If he ends up taking over the seventh-inning role behind established set-up man Joba Chamberlain, what will become of Benoit if they acquire both at the same time?
Choosing between the two, Benoit seems like a smarter choice and better fit. As Bless You Boys‘ and the Detroit News’ Kurt Mensching explains:
He’s really proven. He’s good. So other teams will want him, too. The only knock is that he’s spent most of his time, excluding the second half of last year, as a setup man. So if teams don’t see him as a closer, the price may scare them off. Which would actually be a good thing for Detroit, right?
Though, honestly, outside of Chamberlain, there isn’t a single person in the bullpen for which both won’t be an upgrade. Even Nathan.
Likelihood: (As per Kurt Mensching) Benoit - 7/10, Soria - 5/10, Both - 1.5/10
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