Tigers Named Free Agency Fit for Star Reliever to Fix Biggest Weakness
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No matter how far they go in the playoffs, the Detroit Tigers are going to have some serious work to do this offseason in order to set themselves up to compete again in 2026.
Though they showed numerous moments of brilliance throughout the campaign, the end of year collapse to hand the division over to the Cleveland Guardians should have screamed to president of baseball operations Scott Harris that improvements are needed.
The offense has been the biggest concern as of late following Harris' decision to not add anything meaningful at the trade deadline, but the bats are far from the only issue. Despite a couple of additions who have been nice pickups, the bullpen as a whole has not been strong enough to reliably win games down the stretch.
Tigers Must Address Bullpen This Offseason
In a recent article going through each team's biggest weakness and naming a fit this offseason to fix it, Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report discussed the bullpen for Detroit and named an interesting potential fit to help fix things.
"The Tigers went from fifth (3.55) to 17th (4.05) in bullpen ERA this season, and with Tommy Kahnle, Rafael Montero and deadline pickup Kyle Finnegan headed for free agency, there are holes to fill on the relief corps," Reuter wrote. "Manager A.J. Hinch does a great job maximizing his entire pitching staff, and finding him a few new weapons should be a priority this offseason."
In terms of a fix, Reuter named Cincinnati Reds star closer Emilio Pagán as someone they could potentially go after.
Emilio Pagán Had Sensational Season for Reds
Though he did not enter the season as the team's closer and had always been a setup man throughout his nine-year career, Pagán stepped into the role due to need and was phenomenal.
With a 2.88 ERA and 0.92 WHIP along with 32 saves and 81 strikeouts in 68.2 innings, he also had a bWAR of 2.0. The 34-year-old was as effective as anyone in baseball, and he demonstrated the ability to handle high-leverage situations at the highest possible level.
Any team would be lucky to have him, which of course complicates the potential market.
What Would Someone Like Pagán Cost Tigers?
Pagán is wrapping up the second season of a two-year, $16 million contract with Cincinnati, and due to how great the second campaign was, this would likely be the bare minimum on the next deal for the right-hander.
Paying a premium for bullpen help should be a luxury reserved for contenders, but Detroit has proven this season to be exactly that. Given that 2026 could potentially be their last season with Tarik Skubal, the Tigers should be doing everything they can this winter to try to win a championship next season.
Bringing in a closer -- or setup man -- the caliber of Pagán would be a massive step towards doing just that, and it's safe to say it would be a move fans in Detroit would be happy with.
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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.