One Reliever the Tigers Must Have in Their Opening Day Bullpen
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The Detroit Tigers' bullpen confirguration retained an important piece from last season in Kyle Finnegan, while adding two others in Kenley Jansen and Drew Anderson to join the likes of Will Vest and Tyler Holton. But there is one underrated name not yet mentioned who must make the opening day roster.
That player is now a world champion after helping Team Venezuela win the World Baseball Classic: Enmanuel De Jesus.
Why De Jesus Has Earned a Bullpen Spot in Detroit
Detroit signed De Jesus back on Dec 15, to a one-year, minor league deal following his run playing in the KBO League in South Korea. De Jesus made his MLB debut in 2023 with the Miami Marlins, but was hit around hard, giving him reason to test his luck in the KBO League.
De Jesus has played in two games for the Tigers in spring training before heading to the World Baseball Classic and pitched to a 0.00 ERA in 6.1 innings pitched, allowing four hits, walking one, and punching out seven. But it was his time in the WBC that made him stand out even brighter.
Against Team Israel, De Jesus pitched in five innings and struck out eight batters, allowing just one run and two hits. He was called upon again by Team Venezuela against Team Japan, where he pitched in 2.1 scoreless innings, even striking out Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani.
In total, De Jesus finished with an 1.23 ERA, striking out 11 in 7.1 innings pitched.
Enmanuel De Jesus strikes out Shohei Ohtani!
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 15, 2026
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/G4HBJ2t8Bq
Several current Detroit Tigers were on Team Venezuela, including Gleyber Torres and Keider Montero, and since Montero has already been optioned to Triple-A after a rough spring, De Jesus should be the frontrunner to hold out for a bullpen role.
Sure, De Jesus hasn't pitched in Major League Baseball in quite some time, but his stint in the KBO League, on top of showcasing himself as an asset from a world championship team, the Tigers knew what they were doing when they added De Jesus to the 40-man roster.
FanGraphs projected De Jesus to be the Tigers' long relief option out of the bullpen, but he could easily be a late-inning relief pitcher as well. It will be tough to find time to pitch in the seventh, eighth, or ninth, given Detroit can rely on Vest, Finnegan, and Jansen, not in that order.
But as De Jesus returns to the Tigers' camp and as the regular season is about to get underway, keep an eye on the roster reveal for opening day, potentially featuring De Jesus.
Dominic Minchella is a 2024 Eastern Michigan University graduate with a BA in Communications, Media, and Theatre Arts and a Journalism minor. He covers Major League Baseball for On SI and spends his free time watching games and sharing his insights.