Tigers Bullpen Immediately Improved At Deadline With Addition of Kyle Finnegan

The Detroit Tigers bullpen gained a huge asset at the trade deadline.

Aug 8, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers pitcher Kyle Finnegan (64) throws a pitch against the Los Angeles Angels in the ninth inning at Comerica Park. | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

The Detroit Tigers acquired Kyle Finnegan from the Washington Nationals as the clock was winding down on the trade deadline a few weeks ago. They sent two of their top pitching prospects, Josh Randall and R.J. Sales, to the Nationals in order to land the closer.

In his time with Washington this season, he went 1-4 with a 4.58 ERA and 20 saves in 40 appearances. Since joining the Tigers he has been much better than that.

Finnegan is now ranking amongst the best relievers in baseball since the trade deadline. The 33-year-old has been used in seven games and across 7.2 innings entering Sunday's action. He has recorded had four saves in four appearances while allowing no runs on two hits with 10 strikeouts.

Kyle Finnegan ranks among MLB's best relievers since the trade deadline (min. five appearances).

0.00 ERA (t-1st)
0.39 WHIP (t-4th)
.083 AVG (t-8th)

He's earned four saves since joining the Tigers, allowing two hits and one walk over 7.2 innings, while striking out 10. pic.twitter.com/29luZzzaHB

— Tigers PR (@DetroitTigersPR) August 17, 2025

Since joining Detroit ahead of the deadline, his 0.00 ERA is tied for first, while his 0.39 WHIP is tied for fourth and the .083 batting average against is tied for eighth among relievers who have had a minimum of five appearances during his span.

That's the exact type of production the Tigers were looking for on the trade market, adding a high-leverage arm who would transform their bullpen unit after their relief corps wasn't quite as dominant this year as they had been in 2024.

Finnegan's Impact On Tigers

Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

Detroit needed a deal like this, and it has definitely turned out in their favor. The team was searching for more experience in the bullpen, and that is exactly what they got in Finnegan. He is not only a ground-ball heavy pitcher, which is what the Tigers like to see in their relievers, but he's also a former All-Star and could be exactly what they need to make a deep run in October.

Despite some of the issues he had with the Nationals earlier this season, going to a contender as part of a chance of scenery seems to have done the right-handed veteran wonders when it comes to him being the best version of himself.

Now, with him in the mix alongside Will Vest, Detroit's bullpen has started to perform in a much more dominant fashion in recent weeks, having the appearance of being a true contender in the American League.

After falling into a bit of a rut in July where they had a pair of six-game losing streaks, they have turned things around to maintain a sizable lead in the NL Central over the Cleveland Guardians and appear like locks to be playing postseason baseball.