The Tigers have agreed to re-signed right-hander Joel Hanrahan to a one-year, $1MM contract with an additional $2.5MM available via incentives, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today (Twitter link). In a second tweet, Nightengale clarifies that the Reynolds Sports Management client will receive a minor league deal with a $1MM base should he make the big league roster.
Hanrahan, who turned 33 in October, signed a $1MM contract with the Tigers back in May as he worked his way back from Tommy John surgery and a torn flexor mass, but setbacks in his rehab prevented him from ever pitching for the Tigers in either the Majors or Minors.
Despite the fact that Hanrahan was unable to take the mound in 2014, the Tigers have plenty of reason to be optimistic that he can help their bullpen in 2015. Hanrahan spent parts of four seasons with the Pirates from 2009-12, where he was a two-time All-Star as the team’s closer. He posted a combined 2.59 ERA with 10.4 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9 in 229 1/3 innings with the Bucs, and his walk numbers would be even better were they not skewed by a 5.4 BB/9 mark in his final season with Pittsburgh.
The Pirates traded Hanrahan to Boston along with Brock Holt in exchange for Mark Melancon, Stolmy Pimentel, Ivan De Jesus and Jerry Sands prior to the 2013 season, but Hanrahan managed just 7 1/3 innings with the BoSox before the aforementioned injuries cost him the remainder of the season.
For Detroit, which likely just dedicated a significant portion of its offseason budget to re-signing Victor Martinez at four years and $68MM, Hanrahan provides a low-cost option with more upside than nearly any comparably priced reliever on the free agent market could offer. The team has already invested $17MM in the duo of Joe Nathan and Joakim Soria, and further high-priced bullpen expenditures aren’t expected, though it wouldn’t be surprising to see another affordable arm added to the mix.
Hopefully he actually pitches for them this time around
He didn’t even throw a minor league pitch from what it looked like.
He didnt. He had setbacks and I think was shutdown close to the All Star break
Great buy low move. Looks like they may try to go with quantity here. I don’t have a problem with it.
Nathan is only Plan A because of his contract. Could be cut or demoted in the 1st 40 games. Soria can take over after that. DD already hinted that might happen.
Soria was not at 100%. He should be much better in 2015.
Hanrahan seems like he is close.
Rondon could be a secret weapon.
Al Al was already productive, he just needs higher leverage innings
Krol could be growing into Coke’s role.
It is not as bad as it seems.
as long as they don’t bring back Coke. I don’t understand their love affair with him
Coke is addictive
He is a lefty that can throw 95MPH. That is why.
He is a lefy that throws 95 and is hittable. And lets way to many inherited runners to score. ‘No coke 15’
This is true, but lefties that throw 95 will have a job which is what bobbleheadguru was saying. Lets just hope he’s not working for the Tigers this year.
You have more faith than I do.
Hanrahan is a good low-risk, high reward investment. Im glad he decided to stick with the Tigers.
However, I feel like Rondon/Soria/Nathan/Hanrahan are all big question marks in the Tigers bullpen.
As for Krol, the only positive attribute that I can say about him is that at least he’s got youth on his side.
So,
I guess the best move that the Tigers have done so far that has really
helped their bullpen out is letting Evan Reed walk. For the love of God
please do not bring him back.
I really do hope that the Tigers can find another Drew Smyly in the likes of Kyle Ryan (huge fan of him over here) or even Buck Farmer and let them eat innings out of the bullpen.
Don’t forget Hardy was awesome most of the season.
I agree 100%. I would rather sign a few low risk (the money they cost) high reward bullpen then high priced players that could have bad years ( Nathan)
Why bother lol
why bother? because the Tigers need all the help that they can get with their bullpen
lol I’m saying why are they taking the risk spending another million or more on a guy who didn’t even throw a pitch last year. Especially when they already have a lot of money invested in the team.
A million bucks is nothing in modern baseball. That’s twice the league minimum.
No Robertson? No Miller? No Romo or Gregerson?
I like it. The worst % success for free agent contracts in any position is “late inning relievers”.
Knowing that the risk is that high… might as well get multiple “left overs” and hope that one pans out. Quantity > Quality.
Hanrahan is sort of like Uehara was a couple of years ago… ironically.
There is your upgraded bullpen
They still need to go after Miller and Gregerson if they really want to improve their bullpen.
Why? Compared to other positions, overpaying a “top free agent reliever” is extremely high risk. The Tigers were already burned by Nathan by doing that.
If you look at the data, it is much better to get multiple low dollar guys (and hope that one pans out) than one high dollar guy.
Lets start looking at Badenhop, Neshak, Fraser, and Bell for the right handed reliever, and Breslow, Duke, Beimel, and Eveland for the left handed reliever. They may not be exciting, but the Tigers are looking for reliability. 95 mph fastballs may be exciting, but I’ll take the out in the middle innings, no matter how they get them.
THIS.
Tigers are desperate for someone who is dependable to pitch out of their bullpen. Right now they dont have that. But Miller and Gregorson could be that person there…or on any other team really.
At a combined cost of 12-15MM? For the 7th or 8th inning? I’d rather have another bat for that price, and I don’t think the Kitties can afford that much.
The bullpen has pretty much taken the Tigers out of the World Series one too many times.
But yeah signing both Gregorson and Miller is excessive which is why I kind of hoped that they would have let Soria walk.
Im secretly hoping for K-Rod to sign with Detroit tbh because Miller seems to be demanding too much
JP Morosi (on local radio just now) indicated that the Hanrahan could be giving the Tigers a “make good” low ball deal… because he did not get on the field last year. The deal does seem low if Hanrahan is at 100%.
Your theory of High $$/Low$$ signings (Martinez/Gose) is an interesting one and now the table is set for maybe a big OF bat. Tigers are near the ceiling of last year’s payroll so Mr. I will need to agree to increase it but still be under the cap penalty (maybe $175mill). Seems to be too many FA RP to trade for one..
Good low buy move, but I’ll be disappointed if this is all they do to address the pen. Good thing it’s early.
Even if he’s at 90%, Hanrahan is probably the best pitcher in that bullpen. Great move for Tigers
A healthy Hanrahan & Rondon, with Soria & a back to normal Nathan & the Tigers BP could 1 of the best in baseball.
Nathan’s Done. Soria isn’t proven yet. So you may have 2 quality relievers next year. Tigers couldn’t get it done with Miggy, V-Mart, Scherzer, and Leyland in 2 attempts, it’s not going to happen
Apparetnly the Tigers just can’t get enough veteran former closers, as it has worked out so well for them to this point.
Setup man and Closers are the most overpaid players in the world they pitch once in awhile and it’s only 1 Inning and they make anywhere from 5-15 Million! The Tigers should spend low money on the Bullpen they already have AL Soria Nathan,Rondon and Hardy who i all like i think this Bullpen will be better than last years I hope i’m right can you be as bad as last year?
Was Nathan found in a dumpster? I am pretty sure Uehara was in a dumpster in 2013 when the RedSox found him.