Tigers Involved in Sweepstakes for Intriguing All-Star Ace According to Insider
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The Detroit Tigers were expected to go into the offseason and make some moves on the pitching staff, both in the starting rotation and in the bullpen.
Right before the start of the winter meetings, there has been a ton of reported interest in certain guys, but ultimately Scott Harris and Detroit's front office have yet to reel in a big signing. With plenty of guys left still available though, this can absolutely change.
The Tigers have a tendency in free agency to avoid the very top of the market types and instead do some value hunting and sometimes buy late opportunistically, a strategy which has at times paid off. It's why the peak of the starting pitching market for the most part has not been linked to the Motor City.
An intriguing veteran starter with a proven Cy Young level ceiling though is available coming off an ugly campaign though, the exact piece Harris would jump all over. In a recent breakdown of options remaining, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com linked Detroit to Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star Zac Gallen.
Tigers Reportedly Showing Interest in Gallen, Feinsand Reveals
"The Angels, Giants and Tigers are among the teams in on Gallen, sources said, with the Orioles, Cubs and Braves also looking at the 30-year-old," Feinsand wrote. "If the price tag on starters such as [Ranger] Suárez, [Tatsuya] Imai and [Framber] Valdez feel too high for some clubs, Gallen could be a strong alternative."
Gallen was not great in 2025 and actually had one of the worst seasons of what has been a very distinguished big league career. With a 4.83 ERA and a bWAR of just 1.1, the right-hander has not been the same since back-to-back top-five finishes in NL Cy Young voting in 2022 and 2023.
The best ability is availability though, and Gallen made a full 33 starts in 2025 and has been one of the most durable pitchers in baseball, something Detroit is in desperate need of.
Tigers Would Benefit Greatly from Gallen's Stability
Since 2022, only three pitchers in baseball have made more starts than the 126 Gallen has made. One of them of course is Dylan Cease, whose durability was a huge factor in landing a seven-year, $210 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays despite a down 2025 of his own.
Gallen is not going to come close to that deal, however the Cease deal likely eliminates the need for him to take on a one-year prove it deal if he's looking for something a bit longer term or at least containing player options.
For Detroit, all three of Tarik Skubal, Jack Flaherty and Casey Mize are due to hit free agency a year from now, and signing Gallen for a few years would mitigate the potential disaster that next year brings, not to mention giving them the depth to chase a championship in 2026.
The Tigers were one of the most injured rotations in baseball last season, and a deal for Gallen provides insurance and a solid floor while also coming with an All-Star type ceiling if they can fix his issues.
With the winter meetings coming up next week, Gallen's market should continue to heat up, but it's safe to say he would be a wonderful fit for Detroit if they can find a way to land him.
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Michael Brauner is a 2022 graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in Sports Media. He covers various MLB teams across the On SI network and you can also find his work on Yellowhammer News covering the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers as well as on the radio producing and co-hosting 'The Opening Kickoff' every weekday morning on 105.5 WNSP FM in Mobile, Alabama.