It appears they are casting a wide target but are clearly looking for a mid-range starter. They have made one rotation pick-up this season, signing a KBO returnee Drew Anderson to a $7 million deal. They got it too Jack Flaherty back on a $20 million player option. They are all drawn in pencil in the rotation behind them Pull Skubal, Reese Olson And Casey Mize. Anderson’s hold on a rotation spot seems less secure, if anything Troy Melton or Keider Montero could push him for that job in camp. Jackson Jobe could return from Tommy John surgery in the second half.
It’s a relatively thin group after the MLB’s best pitcher. Olson missed most of the second half with a shoulder injury. Mize had an All-Star first half, but was up and down later in the season. While Flaherty’s strikeout and walk profile remained strong, he is coming off his second upper-4.00s ERA in three seasons. Anderson has started two MLB games and hasn’t pitched in the Majors in five years. Melton has a mid-rotation advantage, but worked largely out of the bullpen as a rookie.
They would be in a better position if they added an experienced, low-variance arm who they can trust to deliver league-average innings. Bassitt and Giolito are at the top end of that tier and would be locked into rotation spots. Martinez and Quintana could pitch in the back of the rotation or work out of the bullpen in a multi-inning role.
Martinez is primarily familiar with the swing role, making him a natural choice for a Detroit team that values that kind of flexibility on its pitching staff. The 35-year-old righty has made a career of moving seamlessly between the rotation and the midseason bullpen. He worked more in relief with the Padres between 2022 and 2023, but was most often part of Cincinnati’s rotation over the past two years. Martinez posted an ERA under 4.00 every season between 2022 and 2024. That climbed to a more pedestrian 4.45 last season, albeit over a career-high 165 2/3 innings.
The veteran righty doesn’t have much, and his strikeout rate has dropped in three straight seasons. Martinez’s game is built around excellent control and a multi-year track record of avoiding hard contact. Last season, he earned $21.05 million after accepting a qualifying offer from the Reds. He certainly won’t match that salary this year, but he could land an eight-figure deal.
Quintana would be cheaper considering he played last season on a $4.25 million contract with Milwaukee. The 36-year-old left-hander (37 this weekend) picked up the ball 24 times and logged 131 2/3 innings. He struck out a below-average 16% of opponents, but posted a 3.96 ERA – his third consecutive sub-4.00. Quintana sits around 90 MPH and missed bats at a career-low 6.9% of his range last year.
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