Tigers Late Additions Justify Boost to Franchise's Final Offseason Grade
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The Detroit Tigers are getting ready for the start of spring training, and this will be a team that has high expectations going into the year. With a strong offseason on paper, the Tigers feel like a team that is going to be a contender.
Following making the American League Division Series the last two years, but ultimately coming up short, the Tigers are going to be trying to get over the hump in 2026. This is a team that has a lot of talent, but they also have arguably the biggest cloud looming over the franchise with the impending free agency of Tarik Skubal.
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The two-time defending AL Cy Young award winner is set to hit free agency at the end of the year, and he is going to receive a massive contract. While Detroit should still be in the mix, competing against some of the biggest spenders in baseball for his services is going to be challenging.
With this being potentially the last year with him on the team, it was imperative to have a good offseason and position themselves well for the campaign. Fortunately, it appears that they have done that.
David Schoenfield of ESPN recently handed out grades for all the teams in the majors this offseason. With a late push at the end, the Tigers received a really strong grade of an “A.”
High Grade is Justified
Even though it might have taken longer than people would have liked to see, Detroit was able to make a couple of really notable additions late to their team and pushed them toward having a great offseason.
Getting some help for Skubal in the rotation was very important, and the Tigers accomplished that in a significant way. The team was able to land both Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander to help strengthen the unit for 2026.
The addition of Valdez was the more significant splash. He, along with Skubal, could create one of the best one-two punches in baseball, and both being left-handed is an added bonus.
Furthermore, even though he is near the end of his career, the signing of Verlander isn’t for a farewell tour for one of the best in franchise history. The future Hall of Famer pitched very well down the stretch for the San Francisco Giants in 2025, and he will be looking to contribute and possibly get closer to the 300 wins mark.
Overall, these two additions helped solidify what could be one of the best rotations in the league this year. Receiving a strong grade is certainly the right call, and it will be interesting to see how far they can go.
Nick Ziegler is an alumnus of the Connecticut School of Broadcasting. He has been working in sports media covering the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL for nearly a decade with various publications online. With his free time, Nick enjoys being at the Jersey Shore with his wife, daughter, and their golden retriever. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @NickZiegler20.