SP Jordan Zimmermann, has signed with the Detroit Tigers making him the first big-name free agent to sign with a club this offseason.
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The Detroit Tigers and pitcher Jordan Zimmermann have reportedly agreed to terms on a deal early on Sunday morning.
An All-Star two of the past three seasons, Zimmermann went 13-10 with a 3.66 ERA and 1.205 WHIP last season.
If acquired, Zimmermann immediately would be inserted into the Tigers’ starting rotation. Wilson’s entire 11-year major-league career, six of those seasons spent as a starter, have come since his August 2003 surgery.
In over seven seasons with Washington, Zimmerman will be remembered for two starts – his last of the 2014 regular season and the one right after in the postseason.
The Tigers did well in casting the first stone. Last year’s last place finish in the American League Central ended a four-year string of finishing as division champions. The Tigers did add their new top prospect Michael Fulmer, who dominated Double-A previous year, in the trade for Yoenis Cespedes, and he might be their best option for the fifth spot, but he probably wouldn’t be ready for more than 150 or so innings in 2016. He is slated to sign a five-year deal worth about $110 million, according to ESPN.com and other outlets.
“My only regret is that we were not able to bring a championship to the fans of this great city this season”, Zimmermann wrote in a message to fans after the season ended. No pitcher on Detroit’s current roster threw over 160 innings in the majors this year. In 2014 Zimmerman was one of the best pitchers in baseball, going 14-5 with a 2.66 ERA.
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Justiin Verlander hopes the deal goes through. Daniel Norris seems like the only youngster really set to join the rotation again in 2016 so there are transactions this team needs to make. Sanchez is a year younger, but is coming off a lousy season in which he led the AL in home runs allowed despite throwing just 157 innings due to continued shoulder issues.
