The Detroit Tigers have added a new member to their starting rotation from the free agent market.
Detroit has reached an agreement with free agent right-handed pitcher of the Cleveland Guardians on a one-year contract, pending a physical, as first reported by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
Cobb, who turned 37 in October, missed most of the 2024 season due to a hip issue and a right shoulder injury. Despite his limited appearances, he was among the best he’s been in his 13-year MLB career. However, his time on the mound was limited, as he didn’t pitch until August after being traded from the Giants to the Guardians in July. He then suffered a broken fingernail after just two starts and landed on the injured list. Cobb made one more start in September, throwing a perfect game until the seventh inning before being removed due to a blister on his right finger.
In his three regular-season starts, Cobb recorded a 2.76 ERA over 16.1 innings. He made two postseason starts for Cleveland, but his second outing was cut short before he completed three innings due to a back issue. When combining his regular and postseason performances, Cobb finished the 2024 season with an ERA slightly over 4.0.
Cobb’s most productive seasons came with the San Francisco Giants in 2022-23, including his first career All-Star selection in 2023. In the two years before his 2024 injuries, he posted a 3.80 ERA across 56 starts and 301 innings. This is in line with his career average of 3.84 ERA over 13 seasons.
While Cobb has faced injury challenges throughout his career, there is certainly some risk involved in signing him. However, Tigers’ GM Scott Harris has shown a preference for acquiring high-upside, low-cost veteran pitchers, and this is likely just one of several moves the Tigers will make to bolster their pitching staff.
The Detroit Tigers are coming off a season that laid a solid foundation for the future. They exceeded expectations with a surprising 86-76 record and secured a Wild Card spot in the postseason. After adding Alex Cobb to their roster, the Tigers are looking to further improve as they continue to compete in the ever-competitive American League Central. According to MLB.com’s Jon Morosi, rumors are circulating that the Tigers are exploring the possibility of acquiring Paul Goldschmidt to strengthen their offense.
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