Every Tigers Player Set to Become a Free Agent This Offseason
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In response to the disappointing nature of the Detroit Tigers' 2026 MLB season, the club managed to do the bulk of the work involving pending free agents during the season. With Detroit already 6.5 games back in the AL Central by the end of July, they traded ace Tarik Skubal and front line starter Casey Mize for future help rather than risk losing them for nothing in the winter.
Skubal and Mize likely would have represented the Tigers' two biggest unrestricted free agents. Instead, both hurlers are playoff-bound in the National League with the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres, respectively.
But that doesn't mean that Detroit's front office has no decisions ahead of them when it comes to pending free agents. Even after turning Skubal and Mize into long-term prospects, the team will still need to address the six players set to enter unrestricted free agency, including two pitchers carrying club options.
Tigers Must Determine Futures of Six Unrestricted Free Agents
On paper, Gleyber Torres might appear to be the most impactful player among those with expiring contracts on the Tigers. The team's starting second baseman for the past two seasons, he was an All-Star in 2025 but saw his 2026 season marred by a pair of left oblique strains and other ailments that limited him to 96 games.
Torres, however, may be looking for work elsewhere, as he appears to be the odd man out in a Detroit infield that also includes AL Rookie of the Year favorite Kevin McGonigle, veteran Javier Báez and Hao-Yu Lee.
Within the Tigers' pitching ranks, which were already depleted by the aforementioned departures of Skubal and Mize, there are plenty of decisions to make. Amongst starters, Jack Flaherty and Drew Anderson are both in need of new deals.
Comparing the two men seems unfair. Flaherty has a World Series ring and 200 career starts to his name, whereas Anderson was a late-season conversion to the rotation after returning to the majors as a reliever following four seasons spent playing in Asia. However, it is Anderson who looks poised to remain in Motown after sporting a 2.61 ERA in 11 starts. Plus he carries a $10 million team option that Detroit seems likely to exercise.
Speaking of option years, the Tigers face an interesting decision when it comes to closer Kenley Jansen and his $12 million club option (or, conversely, his $2 million buyout). Even pushing 39, Jansen put forth a solid campaign with 22 saves and a 3.20 ERA in 50 games. How much he has left in the tank is a fair question (he seems to think he still has more left as he targets 500 career saves), albeit one that may prove to be worth a $12 million flyer.
Meanwhile, Tyler Kinley and Burch Smith are two lower-level relievers who didn't spend much time with Detroit and are unlikely to return. Kinley signed as a free agent in late August and went on to be effective through 15 appearances (1.84 ERA) the rest of the way. Smith had all kinds of issues with his right shoulder, resulting in arthroscopic surgery that cost him all but 13 games in his debut (and possibly only) campaign with the Tigers.
Both Kinley and Smith are well into their thirties, so Detroit could look to fill the same bullpen roles with younger arms heading into 2027.
Of that group, Anderson and Jansen - the Tigers with team options - appear to be the most likely to return. Of course, this is merely step one of what will be a winter-long focus to return the organization to playoff contention once again.
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Ben Fisher is a long-time sportswriter and baseball lover, dating back to 2008, when he was a member of the media relations team for the Toronto Blue Jays. He has covered a wide range of sports for a seemingly endless array of publications, including The Canadian Press, Fansided and The Hockey Writers. When he isn't writing about sports, he can be found coaching his equally baseball-obsessed sons' Little League teams.