The Tigers have made an identity out of bullpen creativity over the last couple of years, from the Pitching Chaos theme of their 2024 charge into the postseason to their conversion of All-Star closer Kyle Finnegan into a do-everything leverage role upon his arrival at last summer’s Trade Deadline. As they head into the 2026 season, they’re lined up to do something historic. Since the save became an official statistic in 1969, no team has opened a season carrying three pitchers who had recorded 20 or more saves in the previous season. With Finnegan’s return, Kenley Jansen’s signing and Will Vest still on board, the Tigers have such a trio under contract. And they’ll be pitching for a manager who has proudly declined to name a closer for most of his five-year Tigers tenure. Yes, manager A.J. Hinch now has no shortage of options for the ninth inning. But he’s just as likely to place priority on those arms for the most dangerous part of the opposing lineup, whether it’s due up in the ninth or not. |
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“I wouldn’t say the specific [save] stat itself was something we were targeting,” general manager Jeff Greenberg said a couple weeks ago. “We were targeting impact arms that we felt could help this team win games in different situations. … And we have a manager in A.J. who is so good at finding ways to get the most out of these guys, putting those pieces together, using our guys in the right situations to get those wins.” It’s a setup that admittedly requires buy-in from those involved. When the group includes a future Hall of Famer who sits 24 saves shy of 500 (Jansen), a former All-Star (Finnegan) and an arbitration-eligible reliever two years away from free agency (Vest), it becomes critical. The Tigers are on board. |
“I think it just feeds into the mindset of our bullpen,” said Finnegan, who got his old jersey No. 67 back in a swap with Bailey Horn, last month. “We have lots of different guys that can do lots of different things, and anytime you can get more options to throw in leverage, it’s a huge advantage. And you look at a lot of the teams in the postseason, their bullpens are built with multiple guys that you can throw out there in the eighth, ninth inning and have confidence that they can get it done. So I think the more closers you have on your team, the better. “I think whoever it is, is going to have the mindset of: Tell me when to pitch and I’ll go out there and do my best.” |
Jansen had a similar outlook when he talked with reporters a few days earlier. Despite his track record and his milestone chase, he said he came with no guarantees of being a set closer, and it wasn’t a priority for him. “It’s about winning,” Jansen said. “To me, yes, it’s unbelievable numbers to get this close. But like I told A.J., I didn’t do this to get 500 saves or 400 saves, whatever. You know, I was on a pretty good team, the Dodgers. I’ve had great opportunities, and all our focus is to try to help a team win, and all those things came with it. So at the end of the day, it will be a great accomplishment, but I think the greater accomplishment will be to try to get deep in the postseason and win the World Series with the Tigers. That’s my accomplishment at the end of the day. That’s why I’m here.” |
Expect that mix to become clearer as Spring Training unfolds. “We will build the team over the course of [the offseason] with some soft focus on what’s the best way to use the group,” Hinch said during last month’s Winter Meetings. “Then we’ll sort it out during the spring a little bit. Like, are there competitions for important innings? Of course. Are there competitions for at-bats? Of course. But performance in the spring is a tough gauge.” |
MLB MORNING LINEUP PODCAST |
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What is the Tigers record for most pitchers to record a save in a season since the save became an official stat in 1969? A. 7 B. 8 C. 9 D. 10 |
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The Tigers reached agreements Thursday on one-year contracts with most of their arbitration-eligible players, including outfielders Kerry Carpenter and Riley Greene, infielder/outfielder Zach McKinstry, starter Casey Mize, first baseman Spencer Torkelson and relievers Tyler Holton and Will Vest. But they did not reach a deal with back-to-back Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, with a $13 million gap setting up a potential arbitration hearing ahead of what could be the most talked-about contract year in Tigers history. In recent years, the Tigers have prepared for a hearing with players if they can’t reach an agreement before exchanging figures, though they made a notable exception with Mize a couple years ago on a one-year contract with a team option that was eventually declined. It becomes more complicated with Skubal so close to free agency and with such a large gap in salary offers. An arbitration panel would have to choose one or the other, rather than a midpoint. |
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D. 10 The 1995 Tigers had 10 pitchers record a save, despite winning just 60 games as a team. Mike Henneman led the team with 18, followed by John Doherty (six), Dwayne Henry (five), Joe Boever (three), then one apiece from Ben Blomdahl, Brian Bohanon, Mike Christopher, Buddy Groom, Felipe Lira and Kevin Wickander. |
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