During All-Star Game weekend, it was reported that the Detroit Tigers have interest in two AL Central rivals to bolster their bullpen. Several outlets, including Bob Nightengale, have reported that the Tigers are one of several teams interested in Minnesota’s Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax, two right-handed leverage relievers.
In either case, the fit is fairly obvious. The Tigers’ relief corps has been middle of the pack at best in most stats, generally lower, this season. That includes a 4.12 ERA (21st),
4.18 FIP (22nd), 0.4 WAR (26th), and a staggering 19.6% strikeout rate (28th). At least their 8.1% walk rate is 2nd best in the league. A series of blowups against Seattle going into the break inflated those numbers, but also exposed how shallow the bullpen is and how dangerous relying on soft contact instead of strikeouts can be.
That’s not to say the Tigers’ need an entirely new bullpen. Not everyone who has contributed to this disaster will see playoff innings; some, like Kenta Maeda or John Brebbia, have already been, ahem, relieved of duty. But there’s very clearly a disconnect between a strong rotation, a top lineup, and a downright terrible bullpen. As the top team in baseball so far, upgrading at the deadline is largely mandated, and the bullpen is the clear place to start.
Starting at the top, Duran is a fireballing relief ace. His average fastball comes in at 100.4 MPH, which would add an entirely new dimension to the Tigers' bullpen. You’re probably most familiar with Duran for inventing the demonic splinker, a mind-boggling 98 MPH offspeed pitch. His 27.1% K rate is top-20 among relievers and ahead of all Tigers except Will Vest, and his 2.14 FIP is top-5.
Whether or not he’d slot in as the closer over Vest isn’t immediately obvious, but he’d certainly fit into the leverage mix with Vest, Tyler Holton, Tommy Kahnle and Chase Lee. Additionally, Duran is under team control through 2028, making him a long-term addition to a bullpen consistently in flux. Of course, acquiring over two years of club control on this type of arm would likely be very expensive in terms of prospects.
Jhoan Duran, Mean 3 Pitch K.
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 27, 2024
98mph Splinker and 2 Hammers. pic.twitter.com/dKEIO78CqU
Jax is a different type of dominant, but there’s a fair argument he’s been even better than Duran in 2025. His 3.92 ERA won’t catch any eyes, but by almost any other stat, he’s been among the best relievers in baseball. He’s 3rd in strikeout rate at 37.9%, 2nd in FIP at 1.87 and K-BB% at 32.2%, and even has a top-15 walk rate. He throws plenty hard, averaging 97.2 MPH, but the fastball hasn’t been particularly effective this year.
Instead, Jax spams two secondary pitches, a sweeper and a changeup, to rack up strikeout after strikeout. Those two pitches account for over 70% of his pitches so far, and both have been dominant. Like Duran, Jax is under arbitration control until 2028, and having quietly been a dominant reliever for two or three years now, his acquisition cost shouldn’t be much different than Duran’s.
Griffin Jax, Filth. pic.twitter.com/s1ZnAthCN9
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 12, 2024
Duran and Jax have generally been two of baseball’s better relievers for the last few years. Trading within the division is tough, especially for players with team control, but either would be a notable upgrade for this team. Right now, this sounds like Scott Harris exploring the market, but it’s encouraging to hear him investigating the very best relievers available.
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