Over the offseason, the Detroit Tigers were quite busy addressing areas in need of attention. The bullpen was no exception.
One of the new relievers the Tigers brought in was Justin Wilson, who was acquired from the New York Yankees in exchange for Luis Cessa and Chad Green last December. Wilson, a 28-year-old left-hander, should clearly be a major help.
Wilson made his MLB debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates back in 2012, posting a 2.99 ERA (121 ERA+), a 3.45 FIP and a 1.23 WHIP across three seasons with the Bucs. As a member of the Yankees’ bullpen last season, Wilson posted a 3.10 ERA (128 ERA+), a 2.69 FIP and a 1.13 WHIP. He was also worth a personal-best 1.5 fWAR.
Additionally, Wilson provides what many describe as a “power arm”. According to Fangraphs PITCHf/x data, his average four-seam fastball registered at 95.2 mph last season, and it is also worth noting his 9.74 K/9 was a full season career best. His 2.95 BB/9 was actually the lowest of his career, which indicates improved control.
Wilson appears set to join fellow new additions Francisco Rodriguez and Mark Lowe in the Tigers’ 2016 bullpen. Alex Wilson and Blaine Hardy, who were each impressive with the Tigers last season, appear to be near-locks as well.
Detroit’s bullpen picture isn’t quite complete yet, but things certainly look promising at this point. There will be a number of intriguing arms, including former New York Mets closer Bobby Parnell, competing for the final two spots. Expect the hard-throwing Wilson to be a key part of a vastly improved Tigers bullpen in 2016.
