Tigers looking to add more pitching after landing Rodriguez

The Detroit Tigers' acquisition of closer Francisco Rodriguez is just one piece of what general manager Al Avila hopes to add to his pitching staff this offseason.

"Our big priority has been pitching and acquiring starting pitching. This is just one move, so we will continue to try to be as diligent as we can in addressing the bullpen," Avila told reporters. "We're definitely going to be looking to add more pitching, for sure, and the bullpen is one area."

While Rodriguez fills a major need at the back end of the bullpen, the Tigers' pitching woes are far from settled. The team's relief core ranked as one of the worst in the majors this past season and is in need of at least one more arm.

The rotation is also a cause for concern. Justin Verlander and Anibal Sanchez represent the top two starters, though both are coming off sub-par seasons, while the young trio of Daniel Norris, Buck Farmer, and Matt Boyd own a combined 165 career innings.

It was reported Wednesday that free-agent right-hander Doug Fister is drawing interest from the Tigers. The 31-year-old could slot into the middle of the rotation, affording the Tigers the luxury of limiting the workload on their young arms. However, Fister is coming off a season in which he posted a career-worst 4.19 ERA and missed time with a flexor strain.