MLB Detroit Tigers

Detroit Tigers Need To Get A Full Season Out Of Anibal Sanchez In 2015

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By @Brad_Faber

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John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

Heading into the 2015 season, many feel that the Detroit Tigers‘ starting rotation has taken a leap back with the departures of Rick Porcello and Max Scherzer. Sure, they still have David Price, but there are quite a few question marks after him.

Obviously, concerns about Justin Verlander have not yet faded, and it will remain to be seen whether or not Shane Greene and Alfredo Simon will be capable of stabilizing the back end of the rotation. Another crucial piece of the puzzle will be Anibal Sanchez. In his two-and-a-half seasons with the Tigers, Sanchez has been spectacular. That is, of course, when he has been healthy.

In 2013, during his first full season in Detroit, Sanchez put together a year that quite arguably rivaled his teammate Scherzer’s Cy Young award-winning campaign. Sanchez went 14-8 while leading the AL in ERA (2.57), ERA+ (162) and FIP (2.39). He also had a 6.2 fWAR, which ranked second-best among AL starters, trailing only Scherzer’s mark of 6.4.

However, Sanchez spent time on the DL, and he was limited to 29 starts and 182.0 innings of work. Scherzer, on the other hand, made 32 starts and accumulated 214.1 innings.

In 2014, Sanchez was bitten even harder by the injury bug, making just 21 starts and throwing only 126.0 innings. But when he was healthy, he was still extremely effective, going 8-5 with a 3.43 ERA, 2.71 FIP and a 1.10 WHIP. He was also lights-out in two innings of relief duty against the Baltimore Orioles in Game 2 of the 2014 ALDS.

Overall, Sanchez has gone 26-19 with a 3.08 ERA, 2.75 FIP and a 1.16 WHIP during his time as a Tiger. Unfortunately, he just hasn’t been the most durable member of the staff, and that will need to change in 2015.

Although Sanchez did have injury issues earlier on in his career with the Florida Marlins as well, he threw at least 195.0 innings each year between 2010-12. It would be great if he could stay healthy for the Tigers and give them 30-plus starts and 190-plus innings while resembling his 2013 Cy Young-worthy form.

Brad Faber is a Senior Writer and Sabermetrics Columnist for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Brad_Faber, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on LinkedIn or Google.

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