Tigers GM: Iwakuma in mix as team hunts for starter
The Detroit Tigers need starting pitching, and they have their eyes on at least one free agent who can help in that regard.
General manager Al Avila said that the team is interested in Hisashi Iwakuma, reports MLB.com's Jason Beck.
Iwakuma would add a reliable veteran presence to a Tigers rotation that suffered last season after losing Anibal Sanchez to a right shoulder injury and trading David Price to the Toronto Blue Jays.
TIGERS PROJECTED ROTATION
| PITCHER | W-L | ERA | WHIP | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Verlander | 5-8 | 3.38 | 1.09 | 113 |
| Anibal Sanchez | 10-10 | 4.99 | 1.28 | 138 |
| Daniel Norris | 2-1 | 3.68 | 1.01 | 27 |
| Buck Farmer | 0-4 | 7.36 | 1.74 | 24 |
| Matt Boyd | 1-4 | 6.57 | 1.48 | 36 |
Avila went on to say that the Tigers aren't expecting to make offers to the top free-agent starters on the market, but they'd like to add a starter of some sort.
"We've gotta see how it all develops," Avila said. "I'm not pretending that we're going to be in on (David Price). I just don't know where things are going to go. We're going to be flexible and do what we feel will help our team try to win."
The 34-year-old Iwakuma pitched to a 9-5 record with a 3.54 ERA and 1.06 WHIP in 20 starts for the Seattle Mariners last season, which included a no-hitter against the Baltimore Orioles on Aug. 12.