Detroit Tigers
2017 Record: (64-98) 5th in AL Central
Off Season Transactions:
Traded away Ian Kinsler to Angles for prospects
Signed Mike Fiers in Free Agency
Projected Starting Rotation:
Michael Fulmer – He is Detroit’s best pitcher by far, but when it comes to DFS he isn’t going to be too appealing. He has a sub-par strikeout percentage at about 17% so there isn’t much upside when rostering him. The reason why he is their best pitcher though is because he limits damage and doesn’t give up much to opposing teams, meaning for DFS we aren’t going to really want to target hitters against him.
Jordan Zimmerman – This guy has had his best days behind him. Last year he was absolutely brutal against both sides of the plate so feel free to stack against him and take hitters from both sides of the plate vs him. Huge fly ball pitcher and gives up a bunch of hard contact.
Daniel Norris – The guy is young and should improve. I would be on the side of taking the bats vs hit rather than pitching him. He isn’t a huge strikeout guy but can limit the ability of left handed hitters so I would take righties against him even though in an 11 inning sample lefties mashed him.
Mike Fiers – He can be really good for you or he can be really bad. Me personally, I will try to find somewhere else to go on a slate and only pitch Fiers in prime matchups where the strikeout upside is there. Just know when rostering him he can get blown up!
Matt Boyd – We can stack against this guy. Oddly enough it looks like righties hit just as well against him as lefties do. He gives an increase in fly balls to right handed hitters which then leads to an increase in home runs and run production. We will take some bats against hit this year for sure.
Bullpen:
This bullpen is awful which makes it even more appealing to stack against their terrible starting pitchers.
Starting Lineup:
Mikie Mahtook (OF) – He is a pretty decent ball player, but from a DFS perspective, he isn’t too appealing. He hits better when facing left handed pitchers and at times has games with upside but nothing worth chasing.
Jeimer Candelario (3B) – Switch Hitter. He is a decent option if his price is low enough but doesn’t have a lot of power which doesn’t bring much upside and in this Tigers offense there will be less opportunities for RBI’s and Runs scored.
Miguel Cabrera (1B) – He isn’t the old Miggy we are used to and would only think about playing him when he faces left handed pitching.
Victor Martinez (1B) – Another old guy on this roster who had a great career but it is time to hang it up. I won’t consider him much this year.
Nick Castellanos (OF) – He will be the only guy on Detroit that I roster this year I’m guessing. He hits the ball really hard with hard contact percentages over 40% vs both sides of the plate and has great numbers vs left handed pitching.
James McCann (C) – He has upside games vs left handed pitching. That is the only time you are going to want to roster him is when he is facing a lefty and is hovering around min price.
Leonys Martin (OF) – Not DFS relevant.
Dixon Machado (2B) – Don’t ever consider him.
Jose Iglesias (SS) – He isn’t going to be someone we want.
Playing Field:
Comerica Park
Ball Park Factor- 15th
Neutral Ball Park that doesn’t favor the hitters or the pitchers.
“Must Knows” of the Detroit Tigers going into 2018 MLB DFS:
This lineup is brutal and only Nick Castellanos is a guy you are going to want to consider daily. Other than that, the most important piece of the Detroit Tigers is the value that they bring to the opposing hitters they are facing that day, with their bad starting rotation and bullpen to follow it up. We will be stacking against Detroit a lot this year.
