Coming into the 2016 season, the Tigers’ rotation featured four veterans locked in to starting spots from the get-go. The final spot was left open to a group of four youngsters, all acquired via trade over the past two seasons.
Shane Greene was coming off an injury-plagued season, with questions remaining around his health and stamina. Matt Boyd was simply coming off a bad season — he failed to prove himself ready for a rotation spot in 2015. Michael Fulmer, while obviously talented, had not yet thrown a pitch in Triple-A and would need more reps in the minor leagues.