Tigers Close In On Hunter, Make FA Signing

By Sean Gagnier

It's no secret that the Tigers are targeting corner outfielders this offseason. With the struggles of Delmon Young, who is now gone, and the inexperience of Avisail Garcia, Detroit wants to add a veteran presence to the outfield, and Torii Hunter is perfect.

Hunter is being pursued by several teams, but the top two appear to be the Tigers and the Texas Rangers. One team will have their prize sooner rather than later, as Hunter told MLB Network that he expects to "sign quickly."

Detroit sees Hunter as a near perfect fit on and off the field in the Motor City. The corner outfield spots are important to the Tigers, and adding a veteran presence could help give the team the leadership in the clubhouse that appeared to be lacking during the 2012 season.

Texas is also an option for Hunter, who makes his home close to the Ballpark at Arlington in Texas.

Other teams in the hunt for Hunter are the; Red Sox, Dodgers, Yankees, Braves and Angels.

Free Agent Moves

Detroit has signed right-hander Shawn Hill to a minor league contract. Hill opted for free agency after appearing in just one game for the Blue Jays last season. The 31-year old rightie spent most of the 2012 season in Triple-A and posted stats of; 4.52 ERA, 5.2 K/9, 2.2 BB/9 in 89 2/3 innings.

Tigers Bring Back Bonderman....Maybe

By Sean Gagnier

Former-Tiger hurler Jeremy Bonderman is looking to return to the game, and the Tigers reportedly are interesting in bringing him back. It was reported on Friday that the team and Bonderman had reached a deal, but no details were released and when contacted by MLB.com's Jason Beck, Bonderman said that the deal was "news to him."

So, maybe Bonderman isn't on his way back to Detroit, or maybe he is, who knows.

Bonderman last pitched for Detroit in 2010 before suffering a shoulder injury that forced him to have surgery. In eight seasons with the Tigers, Bonderman posted a 4.89 ERA and 1.402 WHIP,  not exactly numbers that are going to blow the world away.

If the Tigers do indeed sign Bonderman, it will likely be to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. Should Detroit like what they see out of Bonderman in the spring he could wind up with the club, otherwise he could spend some time in Toledo returning to form.

Closer News

The Tigers have said that they will not pursue former-Yankee reliever Rafael Soriano for the vacant closers role. Instead, Detroit has indicated that the closer role will be filled from within and has marked 21-year old reliever Bruce Rondon as a candidate.