Every Tigers Transaction Can Play Role in Breaking ALDS Losing Streak
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The Detroit Tigers have been stuck in the American League Division Series for the past two seasons. Next season Detroit wants to go much further in the playoffs.
The question is how much did the Tigers help themselves this offseason? Detroit hasn't agreed to a new contract with pitcher Tarik Skubal, though that's a formality in the arbitration process. The Tigers haven't added a notable bat in free agency or via trade, but they did do one of the best jobs in baseball at bolstering their bullpen going into 2026. Does Detroit still have one more big transaction up its sleeve before the Tigers report to spring training in Lakeland, Fla., later this month?
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Here is every transaction the Tigers have made since they finalized their roster after the World Series in November. Included is analysis on what many of these moves mean to the upcoming season. All moves are through Feb. 1.
Free Agency
Free Agents Tigers Acquired
Pitchers: RHP Drew Anderson, RHP Kyle Finnegan, RHP Kenley Jansen.
Position Players: 2B Gleyber Torres
Detroit may have one of the most potent bullpens in baseball in 2026. Detroit managed to retain Finnegan, a Detroit native, who joined the Tigers at the trade deadline and went 3-0 in 16 appearances with a 1.50 ERA. Jansen joins the team on a one-year deal and with 476 saves, he is the active Major League leader in the category. With holdover Will Vest, Detroit is the first team in Major League three to have three players on its roster with 20 or more saves than the previous season.
Torres accepted the Tigers’s one-year qualifying offer of $22 million, which technically makes him their only free agent signing as a position player. He slashed .256/.358/.387 with 16 home runs and 74 RBI. He’s expected to man second base again in 2026.
Tigers Free Agents Lost
Pitchers: RHP Jason Foley, RHP Alex Lange.
Position Players: OF Akil Baddoo.
Foley had not played in the majors since 2024, and he landed a deal with the San Francisco Giants. He was 7-9 with a 3.16 ERA in 210 appearances with the Tigers over four seasons. Lange was 15-15 with a 3.70 ERA in 196 appearances with Detroit over five seasons, but he pitched in only one game in 2025. He signed a deal with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Baddoo was a fan favorite in Detroit, and he signed a deal with the Kansas City Royals. He slashed .224/.305/.369 in five seasons, with 28 home runs and 104 RBI.
Tigers Free Agents Available
Pitchers: RHP Alex Cobb, RHP Rafael Montero, RHP Tommy Kahnle, RHP Paul Sewald, RHP Chris Paddack, RHP José Urquidy.
Position Players: None
Except for Cobb, these pitchers threw for Detroit at some point in 2025, with Montero being the most effective. Carb signed a one-year deal with Detroit but never pitched at the Majors as he was dealing with injuries. Kahnle was relatively disappointing as a bullpen option.
Trades
On Dec. 12, the Tigers traded RHP Chase Lee to the Toronto Blue Jays for LHP Johan Simon. For the Blue Jays, the move was made to bolster their bullpen with a young right-hander. For the Tigers, Simon is a young left-hander who finally had a breakthrough season in 2025 after dealing with injuries. He went 3-3 with a 3.42 ERA in 31 relief appearances. He could be a bullpen candidate in 2026 once he gets some work in at Triple-A Toledo.
On Jan. 6, the Tigers traded RF Justyn-Henry Malloy to the Tampa Bay Rays for cash. Detroit designated Malloy for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster. He slashed .221/.346/.308 in 52 games last season.
Player Moves
Players Tigers Outrighted, Waived, Claimed or Non-Tendered
Outrighted: None.
Designated for Assignment: RHP Alex Lange, LHP Sean Guenther, RHP Tanner Rainey, RHP Jack Little, RHP Tyler Mattison, RHP Dugan Darnell, RHP Jason Foley, RF Justyn-Henry Malloy.
Non-tendered contracts: RHP Dugan Darnell, RHP Jason Foley, LHP Sean Guenther, INF Andy Ibáñez, RHP Jack Little, RHP Tyler Mattison, RHP Tanner Rainey.
Claimed off Waivers: RHP Jack Little, RHP Dugan Darnell.
Most of the players who were non-tendered contracts match up with the players that were designated for assignment, which is usually the next step in the process when contracts are non-tendered in November. However, Little and Darnell are curious cases.
The Tigers claimed both off waivers from Pittsburgh in November. Detroit designated each for assignment 12 days later, both went into free agency, and both ended up signing minor league deals with Detroit in December.
Ibáñez found a home with the Los Angeles Dodgers in free agency.
Contracts Tigers Selected
Pitchers: LHP Jake Miller.
Position Players: C Thayron Liranzo, 2B Hao-Yu Lee, CF Trei Cruz, C Eduardo Valencia.
The tigers designated several players for assignment in November, a move that was made to help protect these five players from the Rule 5 draft in December. All of them are notable prospects in the organization, with Liranzo and Lee the two with the highest profiles. Liranzo could be in the majors by 2027. Lee can make an impact at the Major League level this season.
Players Tigers Selected in Rule 5 Draft
Pitchers: RHP Luke Taggart, RHP Yendy Gomez, RHP John Stankiewicz, RHP Jan Caraballo
Position Players: None
Players Tigers Lost in Rule 5 Draft
Pitchers: RHP RJ Petit (Colorado), RHP Travis Kuhn (Toronto)
Position Players: LF Austin Murr (Philadelphia), C Archer Brookman (Atlanta), 3B Danny Serretti (Arizona)
Petit was the only notable player selected. The 6-foot-8, 300-pound right-handed reliever was selected by Colorado in the hopes that he could be a boost to its flagging bullpen. Detroit likely wanted to keep Petit but simply didn't have the space on the 40-man roster to do it. The rest of the players selected or lost were during the Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 draft which doesn't require 40-man roster moves.
Tigers Signed to Minor League Contracts
The Rockies have signed many players to minor league contracts since the start of November. Many of them will be at Major League spring training.
Pitchers: RHP Tanner Rainey, LHP Sean Guenther, RHP Cole Waites, RHP Jack Little, RHP Woo-Suk Go, RHP Dugan Darnell, LHP Enmanuel De Jesus, RHP Inohan Paniagua, LHP Carlos Peña, RHP Burch Smith, RHP Dylan File, RHP Tyler Mattison, RHP Wandisson Charles, RHP Scott Effross, RHP Jalen Evans, LHP Bryan Sammons, RHP Phil Bickford, RHP Tim Naughton.
Position Players: C Aaron Antonini, LF Corey Julks.
International Free Agents
The Tigers signed these players as international free agents when the international signing period began on Jan. 15. Most will start their professional careers this year in the Dominican Summer League.
Pitchers: RHP Alexander Padilla, RHP Yeuri Ramirez, RHP Jesus Miranda.
Position Players: OF Diego Orro, SS Edwinyer Martinez, SS Oscar Tineo, C Manuel Bolivar, OF Douglas Olivo, OF Randy Santana, SS Eduardo Tusen, C Roman Silgado, C Yojan Coronel, SS Josue Rodriguez, OF Santiago Ventura.
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Matthew Postins is an award-winning sports journalist who covers Major League Baseball for OnSI. He also covers the Big 12 Conference for Heartland College Sports.
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