The $9 Million Free Agency Signing the Detroit Tigers May Already Regret

When the Detroit Tigers signed Kenley Jansen to a one-year, $11 million contract in December of 2025, the math made sense for the team. It was a team-friendly contract of $9 million base salary and a $12 million club option for 2027.

Jansen was coming off a stellar run with the Los Angeles Angels. In 2025, he had 29 saves and a 2.59 ERA. He was working his way toward joining one of the most elite and exclusive clubs in baseball for pitchers with 500 career saves.

For the Tigers, adding him to a pitching staff that boasts some of the best in the business, with two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal as the anchor, this felt like exactly the right move. Paying for a proven closer to find their way to the ALDS championship was smart.

Four months later, that bet is looking shaky, and the team may be having some regrets.

The Numbers Don’t Lie for Jansen

Detroit Tigers pitcher Kenley Jansen | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Jansen is now the owner of a 6.14 ERA and has three blown saves in nine chances during the 2026 campaign. His average exit velocity allowed is sitting at 87.8 mph with a hard-hit rate of 33.3%. Hitters have a wOBA against him of .399.

These are troubling numbers for a closer who has made a name for himself with weak contact and missing bats. What’s worse? The home runs he has allowed. They have been the killer.

Two of the three blown saves happened when opposing hitters went yard off of him in the ninth inning. When the Tigers looked to have the game won, disappointment came with the sight of those home runs.

Hinch Makes a Move

In what may be an indication of a change coming, the situation appeared to come to a head on Thursday, April 30, when the Tigers matched the Atlanta Braves.

One day after Jansen produced another home run problem. He gave up a two-run homer to Matt Olson in a 4-3 loss that wasted a gem of a game from Tarik Skubal.

Manager A.J. Hinch turned to Kyle Finnegan to get the save on Thursday, and he delivered. Finnegan found the way to a 5-2 win for his first save of the season.

The Historical Footnote

Jansen is a quality closer, which is what may be the most frustrating part of this whole situation. None of what he is doing in 2026 diminishes what he has accomplished in his career.

Jansen ranks third on the all-time saves list with 482. It was almost a given that he would gather the numbers that would earn him an exclusive spot as only the third pitcher in history to reach 500.

There’s a strong argument that Jansen will someday have a plaque in Cooperstown. His Hall of Fame-worthy career boasts a 2.57 ERA over 17 seasons.

The problem is that the Tigers didn’t sign the career Jansen. They signed a 2026 version, and that version is struggling and costing them games.

It’s not just Jansen either. Detroit’s bullpen ranks 21st in MLB with a 4.25 ERA. The late-inning volatility that this team is showing is a real problem. This team is sitting at 16-17, just one game behind the AL Central leader, Cleveland Guardians.

Looking Forward for Detroit

Detroit isn’t panicking; they have options. Finnegan is more than capable. The $9 million is gone, though.

If Jansen can’t find his way back to the form he once boasted and literally made him worth the investment, the Tigers may find themselves looking back and wondering what might have been.

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