Caputo: Answers to many Tigers' questions

It was incredible, improbable and certainly impressive, but the Tigers' run is over.

Now what?

The Tigers have found some answers. They definitely have core pieces in Tarik Skubal, Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter.

Parker Meadows, Colt Keith, Matt Vierling, Trey Sweeney, Beau Brieske, Tyler Holton, Reese Olson, Weencel Perez, Jackson Jobe and Jake Rogers probably fall into that category, too, albeit to varying degrees.

Yet, the Tigers are still very much a work in progress. Yeah. They are better. Much better. But they are a long way from being good enough. They have many question marks. There is definitely room to grow.

The Tigers have a glaring need at third base, a puzzling, underperforming first baseman, Spencer Torkelson, and the $73 million elephant in the room, shortstop Javy Baez. Throw in disappointing campaigns by Kenta Maeda and Casey Mize, and well, there is plenty of work remaining before the Tigers can claim to be bonafide World Series contenders.

President of baseball operations Scott Harris made it clear this week he wants to see what hip surgery has done to improve Baez, who has $73 million remaining on one of the most ill-advised free agent signings in Detroit sports history.

The Tigers would be wise to buy out Baez's contract. Their books are as clear as they ever will be to do it. They should look for a right-handed hitting shortstop or utility player with strong defensive skills to platoon with Sweeney. The Tigers don't need extreme measures at short. They need a right-handed version of Zach McKinstry, who is an upgrade with the glove.

The Tigers don't have a player the quality of Sweeney at third base. While Jace Jung has potential as a hitter, he's a butcher with the glove. It's not his fault, but there is an organizational glut at second and a void at third. Jung, a second baseman, has been the sacrificial lamb and could be traded if the Tigers opt to acquire a third baseman. Jung's value is much more at his natural position, second base, but that is Keith's domain.

You hear Alex Bregman's name a lot, and with good reason. There is still some gas left in the pending free agent's tank, but it would be foolish to present a deal beyond three years, which he may be able to demand even entering his age 31 season.

A more logical option is San Diego's Ha-Seong Kim, who is an excellent defender at short, second and third with a career OPS above .700. Kim fits exactly what A..J Hinch does best as manager.

Torkelson is an enigma. He hit 23 home runs in the final 82 games of the 2023 season -- a 45-homer pace. In his other 279 games, he's hit just 26 -- a 15-homer pace. But Torkelson posted a respectable .781 OPS after returning from Toledo this season, and his fielding was notably better. Because of his stint at Triple-A, Torkelson is not eligible for arbitration. At 25, the Tigers will likely roll with him one more time.

But it's a risk. The Tigers desperately need a high-end, right-handed, power-hitting bat at first base. Ideally, Torkelson will provide it. Yet, there would be risk to expect that or to trade him because he does have the necessary power when right.

There is going to be a bidding war for the Mets' Pete Alonso, which will put his compensation and term far beyond his actual value as a player. The Tigers most viable free agent option would be Arizona's Christian Walker, who will play next season at 34. His numbers are solid across the board and he is a right-handed power-hitting threat, who is an exceptional defensive first baseman with extraordinary metrics and two Gold Gloves sitting on his mantel. But projecting power at Comerica Park can be tricky, and Walker has played just three games there.

The Tigers obviously need starting pitching. Corbin Burnes will likely end up in New York, Boston or Los Angeles. Flaherty is a lock to re-sign with the Dodgers and Max Fried likely to head for the West Coast. The Tigers have numerous options otherwise for rounding out their rotation, though. San Diego's Tanner Scott would be a deluxe acquisition for the bullpen.

It seems probable Mize will be trade bait. But there tends to be a discernible improvement between season one and season two following Tommy John surgery, and Mize's fastball was up 2.1 mph from when he last previously pitched in 2022.

A key here is Harris not falling needlessly in love with his own players. It's a possibility some Tigers' bullpen pieces will struggle to match last season's extraordinary production.

For the first time in a decade, the Tigers have enough organizational strength to make value-for-value trades. All things considered, it makes this their most important, interesting and possibly impactful offseason in eons.

They got good in a hurry. Now we'll see if Harris has the touch to make them even better.