The Tigers head to Orlando for next week’s Winter Meetings likely to face a flurry of questions about another run at free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman or another big-name offensive upgrade. But as president of baseball operations Scott Harris and general manager Jeff Greenberg map out their game plan for meetings with fellow front offices and agents, they have a bigger priority in mind: The Tigers need pitching. Manager A.J. Hinch’s “pitching chaos” strategy had mixed results down the stretch last season as innings and injuries piled up. Last summer’s pitching infusion at the Trade Deadline provided limited help, aside from Kyle Finnegan. While the Tigers’ farm system is stacked with hitters, most of their pitching prospects are further away. Expect an arms race among the Tigers and other clubs as the baseball offseason reaches its peak buzz. Here’s a quick look at the Tigers’ needs and strengths. CLUB NEEDS The Tigers were working down the stretch with essentially a three-man rotation of Tarik Skubal, Jack Flaherty and Casey Mize, with Troy Melton jumping in and out of the bullpen for spot starts and opener appearances. They will bring back the trio along with Melton, who’s expected to return to a full-time starting role, and they have Reese Olson working back from a right shoulder strain. That’s a good five-man rotation, but the Tigers want to bolster that: They were 66-65 last season in games Skubal didn’t start. And with Skubal eligible for free agency next winter, Detroit needs to prepare for a potential post-Skubal rotation. That explains reported interest in top free-agent starters like Ranger Suárez and Michael King, rather than the short-term deals of recent years. |
The bullpen is in flux after Detroit stocked up on soon-to-be free agents at the Trade Deadline to bolster an injury-depleted group. Finnegan, Rafael Montero and Paul Sewald are all free agents, and Jason Foley, Sean Guenther and Alex Lange were dropped from the roster last month. Closer Will Vest, lefty Tyler Holton, sinkerballer Brenan Hanifee and lefty Brant Hurter are back, and Beau Brieske should be back from injury, but last season showed the need for depth and quality. The Tigers would like to bring Finnegan back, and they’ve been linked with former Rays closer Pete Fairbanks, but the wide net they’ve been casting -- as colleague Mark Feinsand noted in his Reddit AMA this week -- reflects a search that goes beyond a traditional closer. POTENTIAL TRADE CANDIDATES Expect plenty of Skubal speculation, but the Tigers are inclined to hold on to their back-to-back American League Cy Young winner for his contract year unless an overwhelming offer bolsters them for 2026 and beyond. That hasn’t appeared so far, but crazy things happen at Winter Meetings (like the Miguel Cabrera and Curtis Granderson trades). Even with no Skubal trade, there’s ample opportunity for Harris to swing a deal. The Tigers held on to their top prospects at July’s Trade Deadline rather than giving up long-term talent for short-term help. After a strong finish in the farm system, the Tigers’ next wave of talent is nearing Detroit, where the last wave continues to settle in. Could Colt Keith, whose shift back to second base was upended by Gleyber Torres’ return, become a trade chip for pitching help? Could Parker Meadows, facing a big year for his future in center field, be in play? Could rising prospects outside of the Tigers’ top tier, such as Max Anderson (No. 9) and Hao-Yu Lee (No. 6), become value players in a deal? |
PROSPECTS TO KNOW Top prospect Kevin McGonigle is on track to arrive in Detroit sometime next season and take an infield spot. Whether it’s at shortstop, second or third base depends as much on McGonigle’s defensive skill set as it does on the Tigers’ needs. Harris has consistently advocated for creating opportunities for young players since joining Detroit three years ago, so expect any lineup additions to keep McGonigle’s impending arrival in mind. The Tigers non-tendered platoon specialist Andy Ibáñez, believing the right-handed-hitting Anderson and/or Lee could fill a similar role soon. Max Clark (No. 2) could be knocking on the door in center by season’s end once he adjusts to advanced Minor League pitching and reaches Triple-A Toledo. Near-term pitching help is thinner, but Dylan Smith (No. 20) made an impression in his midseason stint in Detroit’s bullpen and has a chance to claim a role in next year’s relief mix. Lefty swingman Jake Miller (No. 19) has just five appearances above High-A, but he could quickly climb the system if he stays healthy. RULE 5 DRAFT The Tigers haven’t made a Rule 5 selection since Mason Englert in 2022, a reflection as much of their status as postseason contenders as it is on the tightness of their 40-man roster. That likely won’t change unless they find a relief arm that fascinates them. On the flip side, Detroit had two prospects drafted last year and could have another if a club wants a look at No. 30 prospect RJ Petit, a 6-foot-8, 300-pound right-handed reliever with a nasty slider and mid- to upper-90s fastball. |
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BURNING QUESTION After back-to-back postseason runs that ended with a Division Series Game 5 loss, will the Tigers move aggressively in an attempt at a deeper run? Detroit has remained steadfastly focused on sustainable success, and the arrival of McGonigle, Clark and others is viewed in some circles as the start of another window of contention. But with Skubal potentially gone next winter, this could be Detroit’s final year with a series-changing ace atop the rotation. |
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