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Tigers need to define roles for Anibal, Pelfrey
- Updated: December 21, 2016
DETROIT — The offseason for potential of big trades has yet to materialize, leaving J.D. Martinez, Ian Kinsler and other stars still with the Tigers. Unless something surprising happens, Anibal Sanchez and Mike Pelfrey are likely to join them.
What role Sanchez and Pelfrey will pitch remains a serious question. As they enter the final year of their contracts, both are pitchers without a spot. At least one of them, however, is expected to head to Spring Training as a starter.
“I think initially, at least one of them would certainly be preparing as a starter — possibly both, depending on how things shake down,” manager Brad Ausmus said during baseball’s Winter Meetings earlier this month. “But we haven’t made a final decision.”
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Sanchez and Pelfrey comprise $24.8 million of payroll on a Detroit squad that paid a luxury tax this year and is currently on track to be over the threshold for next season. Sanchez, who will turn 34 at the end of February, will make $16.8 million in the final guaranteed year of the five-year, $80 million contract he signed after the 2012 season. Pelfrey has $8 million coming on the back end of the two-year, $16 million deal he signed last offseason.
Combined, they went 11-23 with a 5.52 ERA over 59 …
