DETROIT -- Brandon Lyon and the Detroit Tigers have a mutual interest in his returning as a vital bullpen component in 2010.
Lyon, who was 6-5 with a 2.86 ERA, 15 holds and three saves this season, said he filed for free agency Monday.
“I don’t really have a hunch on what will happen,” Lyon said, “but I know the Tigers have some interest.
“Detroit has been in touch with my agent (Barry Meister) once or twice, and talked of their interest in bringing me back. And it would be great to play there again. I liked it and felt comfortable.”
Lyon spoke on the phone while driving with his family from Phoenix to their home in St. George, Utah. He said he planned to return to the Phoenix area this weekend to celebrate the 30th birthday of Tigers catcher Gerald Laird along with teammates Justin Verlander and Bobby Seay.
Lyon in Janurary left the Arizona Diamondbacks as a free agent, signing for $4.25 million and performance bonuses with Detroit for 2009.
“The main thing for me going into this after last year, and playing for two teams in two years, is a long-term deal,” Lyon said. “That’s more important to me this year. The shuffle is tougher, and I want to dedicate myself to one team and one city and have that peace of mind.”
Lyon, 30, is 27-34 with a 4.20 ERA and 54 saves in eight seasons with Toronto, Boston, Arizona and Detroit. He had a career-high 26 saves in 2008 for the Diamondbacks and has pitched in at least 61 games in four consecutive seasons.
“It could work out well in Detroit, or I could go in a different direction,” Lyon said. “But I really liked playing there. It’s a great situation.”
Lyon was the eighth-inning setup man for closer Fernando Rodney, who had a career-high 37 saves and also has filed for free agency.
“I want to come back to the Tigers,” Rodney told Booth Newspapers last week. “Detroit is the first team I will talk to, but right now, I have to wait. I want three years, maybe four. But I don’t know how it will work out.”
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