Gleyber Torres isn't expected back in Detroit as free agency opens, with The Athletic's Jim Bowden ranking him No. 23 and predicting a two-year, $42M deal elsewhere. Hao-Yu Lee is the in-house fix at second base as the youth movement takes over. 🔄
The Athletic's Jim Bowden ranks Casey Mize No. 16 among free agents and names Detroit his best fit, predicting three years, $54M. Mize had a 2.70 ERA with the Tigers, then a 7.46 ERA in 10 starts after the deadline trade to San Diego. 🔁
Jim Bowden of The Athletic lists the White Sox, Mets and Dodgers as best fits for free agent Tarik Skubal, the No. 1 player on his board. A Chicago signing would send the former Tigers ace to an AL Central rival, though Detroit is still called a true contender to bring him back.
Tigers should pick up Drew Anderson's $10M club option, an easy call given a looming lockout. The right-hander posted a 2.61 ERA in 11 starts and a 4.63 ERA in relief. The harder question is role: swingman versatility fits a thin right-handed bullpen. 🔧
Scott Harris has never traded a top-15 Tigers prospect, but a 2027 logjam (Briceño, Anderson, Hope, Flukey, plus a crowded outfield) could force his hand. Holding everyone risks Jung-style stalls. 📦
Speculation: Tigers could pursue Dodgers OF Teoscar Hernández if LA makes him available, with prospect Josue De Paula crowding left field. He's owed $17.34M in 2027 and hit .890 OPS at Comerica, but his power slipped from 25 homers to 16 in 2026.
Tigers blueprint check, Part 2: using the Rays' World Series path as a template, the series measures Detroit on a 10-point list. Skubal needs an ace partner, Kevin McGonigle could be the superstar, Colt Keith still needs patience, and shortstop remains a question mark.
Ex-Tigers utility man Ryan Vilade, who played 17 games for Detroit in 2024, moves up to second in the Rays' World Series Game 3 lineup, starting at first base with Milwaukee up 2-0. Another reclamation win for Tampa. 🔄
Old photos of Teruaki Sato in a Tigers City Connect cap are fueling speculation. The NPB Triple Crown winner, reportedly being posted by Hanshin, could replace Matt Vierling, but nothing ties him to Detroit beyond a Hanshin-Tigers name coincidence. 🐯
Tigers swiped just 58 bags, 29th in MLB, while the Rays (164) and Brewers (162) ran to the World Series. Scott Harris has promised more steals, and Max Clark, Ben Malgeri and Kevin McGonigle give Detroit speed already in-house. 🏃
BYB's review of Tigers prospects ranked 31-40 has two big risers: lefty Ben Jacobs ("way up," possible top-100 name) and infielder John Peck, who reached Detroit and played some shortstop. Cale Wetwiska and Peyton Graham also trended up; Schiefelbein slid. 📈
Kevin McGonigle has a strong AL Rookie of the Year case: a league-best 7.1 bWAR, and the first rookie with 97 runs, 28 doubles, 18 homers, 72 RBIs and 95 walks since Ted Williams in 1939. Detroit's 10-year ROY drought could end. 🏆
Comerica Park posted MLB's largest attendance jump from 2023 to 2026 (+44.0%), a sign Detroit badly wants a winner. Meanwhile, infielder Hao-Yu Lee is getting offseason kick bag work in at a martial arts gym. 🥊
Free agent-to-be Michael Soroka, 29, could be a rotation fit for the 2027 Tigers and a possible alternative to a Casey Mize reunion. He lowered his arm angle and cut fastball usage in 2026, and his sinker held hitters to a .171 average. 🎯
Colt Keith's long-term deal runs through 2029 with club options to 2032, yet his defensive home is still unclear. Between 3B, 1B and Kevin McGonigle's rise, the Tigers have paid for a player without a settled position. Hmmm indeed. 🤔
Tigers could pursue free agent George Springer, a former World Series MVP, in a possible reunion with A.J. Hinch. The 37-year-old hit .249 with 15 HR and a .726 OPS for Toronto in 2026, down from .959 in 2025. No confirmed interest yet.
After a 76-86 finish, the Tigers have reportedly moved on from Anthony Sanders and Juan Nieves and added Martín Maldonado. Third-base coach Billy Boyer's role could be the next change A.J. Hinch faces before 2027.
Scott Harris' Tigers tenure carries a solid 327-321 record, but payroll caution under Chris Ilitch and the Javier Báez contract hamstrung his moves. Missed Bregman and uneven spending left fans wanting more. Context, not just missteps. 🧩
Tigers could reportedly pursue Brewers lefty JoJo Romero in free agency to fix a bullpen that faltered in 2026. He posted a 3.36 ERA over 55 appearances split between the Cardinals and Brewers, and a projected price well short of closer money. 🎯
Hao-Yu Lee (.264, 10 HR, 46 RBI, .746 OPS in 114 games) and Eduardo Valencia reportedly made strong cases for the Tigers' 2027 Opening Day roster. Lee, who also offers second and third base flexibility, could even grab a regular lineup spot for A.J. Hinch.
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