Tigers Bullpen Has Clear Answer to Closer Issue After Scorching May For Star

The Detroit Tigers have been desperate for a closer. It turns out, they have one.

May 27, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers pitcher Will Vest (19) throws a pitch against the San Francisco Giants in the ninth inning at Comerica Park. | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

The Detroit Tigers have ascended to the top of the American League this season during what has been an incredible season so far already.

As the Tigers keep on winning ball games, they are starting to have the makings of a team who looks like a legitimate World Series contender.

No team is perfect though, and there are weaknesses for Detroit to have the chance to address this summer at the trade deadline.

One area which many have pointed to as somewhere the Tigers have to make moves is the bullpen in order to establish a unit which can carry them to a deep run.

With a ton of solid names but no true alpha, it stands to reason to think Detroit would be in the market for a high leverage closer who can strike batters out.

With that being said, they have a closer emerging before their eyes who is absolutely dominating opposing hitters over the last month.

Will Vest Emerging as Elite Option for Tigers Closer Spot

The closer spot has been a bit of a revolving door for Detroit in 2025 with numerous guys getting a chance, but 29-year-old right-handed flamethrower Will Vest is emerging as the best option the team has.

In the month of May, Vest has made 11 appearances and pitched to a 0.69 ERA and 1.08 WHIP, racking up four saves and earning another one on Tuesday against the San Francisco Giants with an electric game-ending strikeout:

Will Vest, you are electric 😮‍💨

Save energy at home with these tips: https://t.co/sm4zCCupj6 pic.twitter.com/opp5yTuHFN

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) May 28, 2025

On the season as a whole, Vest has now made 24 appearances and posted an ERA of 1.73 and WHIP of 1.038 with seven saves and 28 strikeouts in 26 innings pitched.

Vest was already phenomenal last year especially down the stretch, but he has clearly taken another step in 2025 and looks like he may have the kind of stuff the Tigers are looking for in a closer.

It's not to say Detroit should not look to upgrade their bullpen at the deadline; they absolutely should.

However, the thought that the Tigers don't have an elite closer and need to go get one is starting to be proven untrue as Vest continues to terrorize opposing hitters in the biggest moments of games.

Naming Vest as the official closer seems like the next logical step, and if Detroit goes through the rest of the season with the mindset that he's their guy, building around him at the deadline becomes more clear.