Tigers Baseball Report

Ranking Tigers Most Notable Offseason Acquisitions Ahead of 2026 Season

Which acquisition will have the greatest impact on the Detroit Tigers this year?
Detroit Tigers cap
Detroit Tigers cap | Raj Mehta-Imagn Images

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It's been a rather quiet offseason for the Detroit Tigers, but this wasn't unexpected. They have made a few notable moves, but compared to some of the more aggressive franchises, the Tigers have been minding their own business.

As always, they somehow find themselves wrapped up in trade rumors, particularly involving Tarik Skubal, but they appear to have a tight hold on their ace.

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Detroit hasn't been inactive this offseason; it just hasn't made as many waves as fans had hoped. The franchise welcomed a few notable acquisitions, one of which re-signed, and we've ranked them based on expected impact. Looking ahead at their 2026 campaign, here's how things could play out.

4. Drew Anderson

Detroit Tigers Drew Anderson preparing to pitc
Detroit Tigers pitcher Drew Anderson | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Last year, Anderson played in the KBO and registered a 2.25 ERA and 245 strikeouts across 171.2 innings pitched through 30 starts. Needless to say, his striking performance was incredibly enticing for the Tigers.

Anderson didn't take long to settle into his role in Korea and was productive right off the bat. Although he has several years of successful baseball under his belt, he could find it difficult to adjust to being back in Detroit.

3. Kyle Finnegan

Detroit Tigers Kyle Finnegan pitchin
Detroit Tigers pitcher Kyle Finnegan | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Finnegan isn't a new addition to the ballclub, but his re-signing was certainly noteworthy. After the Washington Nationals traded him to the Tigers in exchange for Josh Randall and R.J. Sales in July 2025, the 34-year-old right-hander went on to play a promising season.

By the end of his 2025 campaign, he had logged a 3.47 ERA and 55 strikeouts across 57.0 innings pitched through 56 games. In December 2025, he signed back with Detroit as a free agent on a two-year, $19 million deal.

2. Kenley Jansen

Los Angeles Angels Kenley Jansen pitchin
Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Kenley Jansen | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Much of Jansen's career was spent with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but in March 2022, he signed with the Atlanta Braves, soon followed by the Boston Red Sox. In February 2025, he signed with the Los Angeles Angels as a free agent, but a few months later, he ended up signing with the Tigers.

During his 2025 campaign with the Angels, he logged a 2.59 ERA and 57 strikeouts across 59.0 innings pitched through 62 games. The 38-year-old is a veteran closer, automatically bolstering Detroit's bullpen.

1. Gleyber Torres

Detroit Tigers Gleyber Torres running the base
Detroit Tigers second baseman Gleyber Torres | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Until now, Torres has spent his entire professional career with the New York Yankees. His most productive season came in 2019, his second year, when he slashed .278/.337/.535 with a .871 OPS, recording a career-high of 38 homers and 90 RBIs through 144 games.

Torres is a skilled infielder who signed with the Tigers as a free agent on a one-year deal back in November as he accepted the qualifying offer from Detroit. While he returned, he was technically a free agent. As a right-handed hitter, he will be able to help balance out Detroit's left-handed dominant lineup.


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Maria Aldrich
MARIA ALDRICH

Maria Aldrich lives in the captivating Adirondack Mountains in New York where she can be found scaling cliffs, hiking in the High Peaks and paddling down local rivers. After graduating from SUNY Potsdam with a degree in Exercise Science and a minor in Wilderness Education, Maria began documenting her backcountry experiences through written stories. Over the years, she has found herself drawn to sports journalism and now focuses on MLB, WNBA, NCAA and NHL writing. She can be reached at mariaaldrich20@outlook.com.