Help is on the way Motown. The Detroit Tigers traded for the Houston Astros' closer, Jose Veras on Monday morning. The move solidifies the Tigers' late inning help out of the bullpen as they finally find adequate replacement for Jose Valverde.
Yes, the Tigers have another Astros' closer in their bullpen. Valverde, who consistently became the man in the ninth inning while in Houston, lost his job in Detroit after struggling in the 2012 postseason and in the 20 appearances he made in 2013. As a result, the Tigers struggled to close games out, which led to a seesaw battle for the top spot in the A.L. Central. With Veras now in, however, things are looking up for the Tigers.
Veras is 0-4, not impressive, but he has a 2.93 ERA with 19 saves in the season. What more could the Tigers ask for? If it's consistency they want, Veras has converted 11 consecutive saves dating back to May 31. If it's a guy who can get strikeouts when runners are on base, Veras has 44 K's in 43 innings pitched, good for a 9.2 K/9 Ratio. He also hasn't allowed an earned run in 11 straight appearances.
Now, the key with Veras is his use. Who knows how he will respond to new responsibilities in Detroit? He's already made 42 appearances, finishing 38 games for the Astros. He's 32 years of age, so he should handle the workload, but the Tigers are more successful than the Astros, meaning they will likely call upon Veras more often.
The Tigers are playing, not only for a postseason berth, but they're trying to defend their A.L. Championship crown. The Astros weren't playing for anything and the organization knew this heading into the season. Veras is now in a team that's competing and this is new territory for the Dominican right-hander. In his eight-year career, Veras only has made the postseason once with the New York Yankees in 2007. He's pitched for the Cleveland Indians, Pittsburgh Pirates, Florida Marlins and Milwaukee Brewers when they weren't contenders.
For Veras, it will be a chance to impress as a $3.25 million option is at stake for next season. If he can prove he's ready to pitch in important games, then a contract extension, somewhere in baseball, could have Veras' name written all over it.
*The Tigers sent their No. 4 prospect, Danry Vasquez to the Astros and a player to be named in the deal*
