The Detroit Tigers top closer priority could be Brian Wilson this offseason after a good 2013 showing for the Los Angeles Dodgers. According to Buster Olney of ESPN (via Twitter), the Tigers could be interested in signing the righty, depending on the cost.
It is seeming more likely that the Tigers will not be re-signing 2013 closer Joaquin Benoit to a new deal. 36-year old Benoit went 4-1 with a 2.01 ERA in 2013, while saving 24 games in 26 opportunities. Benoit had the best WAR of his career in '13, which could be the main reason that the Tigers are looking elsewhere in the closer market. The entire Tiger bullpen overall posted a 17-25 record with a 24th highest 4.01 ERA. Brian Wilson could definitely help that.
Wilson, 32 in March, pitched only in the second half of last season, after signing a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 30 of last season. Following that, however, Wilson was fantastic, pitching to a 0.66 ERA (1 ER in 13.2 IP). His fastball was lively, hitting a high of 96 MPH on the gun in his short time in the big leagues. He seems anything but finished. From 2008 to 2011 with the Giants, Wilson recorded 163 saves in 258 appearances with a 3.00 ERA in 264.1 innings. At the peak of his career, Wilson was regarded as one of the top closers in the game during that time, and could absolutely help the Tigers bullpen in 2014.
Wilson was originally selected in the 24th round of the 2003 amateur draft by the San Francisco Giants. He is currently represented by the MVP Sports Group.
Photo Courtesy of www.nydailynews.com
RSS Feed
