Justin Upton Signs With Tigers

While the Yankees and Mets continue to sit idly by, the Detroit Tigers made a big move yesterday by signing free agent outfielder Justin Upton to a six-year deal.

Upton, 28, signed a deal worth $132.75 million to head to Detroit.

After missing the playoffs in 2015 and watching their division rivals (Royals) win the World Series, the Tigers went out to fortify one of the best offenses in baseball.

They now have Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez, Ian Kinsler and Upton.

From MLBTraderumors.com on Upton:

Risk aside, the Tigers’ lineup is now among baseball’s most formidable collections of hitters, though it’s admittedly a right-leaning bunch. Upton is a lifetime .271/.352/.473 hitter, and while he has yet to develop into the consistent superstar-level performer that many forecast in his prospect days, he’s a consistent three- to four-win player, depending on one’s preferred version of WAR, and arguably has some upside remaining in the tank. Upton, after all, posted an enormous .289/.369/.529 batting line with 31 home runs back in 2011, and while that season did come in Arizona’s hitter-friendly Chase Field, he’s still young enough that it’s not out of the question for him to replicate that level of production. Even if his offense is more commensurate with his career batting line or his post-2011 production, however, Upton’s age makes him a likely candidate to maintain his status as a well-above-average bat in his new environs.

Upton began his career in Arizona before moving to Atlanta. He was with San Diego last year, where he hit 26 home runs with 81 RBIs.