Tigers’ Reliever Alex Lange Leaves Detroit, Finalizes Deal With AL Central Team
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The Detroit Tigers have been wrapped up in what seems to be an endless supply of rumors this offseason, but most of those rumors involve their ace Tarik Skubal. However, he's not the only player to find his name circulating — there have been flurries of talk surrounding many Tigers' players.
One of those names to come up is that of reliever Alex Lange, but these are no longer rumors; Lange has officially signed with another franchise. Having lost Lange, one of their veteran pitchers, what's in store for Detroit?
Lange Signs with Royals
Lange has been a loyal player for Detroit. He was picked No. 30 overall in the first round of the 2017 MLB draft and made his debut with the Tigers on April 10, 2021. Lange has stayed in Detroit each season, but this week, it was announced that he has signed with the Kansas City Royals on a one-year contract with a $900,000 guarantee and $100,000 performance bonuses.
Lange has had a rough bout with the Tigers and experienced a drop in his strikeout rate in 2024, but it looked like he was going to make a comeback after being demoted to Triple-A. Unfortunately, the hope was short-lived as Lange was forced to undergo surgery after suffering a lat injury. As a result, he was out of commission for the remainder of the season and into the next.
In 2025, Lange appeared in one inning in the Majors and recorded one strikeout and one walk just before returning to Triple-A. It's not outrageous to say that Detroit isn't facing a great loss with the 30-year-old heading to Kansas, considering his lack of production as of late. The Tigers ended up releasing him just two days before he signed with the Royals.
Lange was once a top reliever for Detroit's manager A.J. Hinch, so perhaps he can find that level of prowess once again with the Royals.
As Anne Rogers of MLB.com rightfully explained, "If Lange is healthy again and his stuff still plays like it did in ‘23, the Royals are getting a bounce-back candidate who could add depth to their ‘pen. Plus, a cheap deal with a player who has years of control is a low-risk, high-reward kind of gamble.
With Lange getting a fresh start in Kansas and ideally staying healthy, he could very well end up being their comeback player. He's an experienced pitcher, but luck has not been on his side the past couple of years.
Maria Aldrich graduated from SUNY Potsdam with a degree in Exercise Science and a minor in Wilderness Education. While earning her degrees, she learned the fundamentals of climbing, wilderness travel and leadership in the backcountry. These skills built upon Maria's lifelong passion for the outdoors. Following graduation, she began working in the outdoor recreation field, serving individuals with disabilities to help them access outdoor pursuits including hiking, paddling, horseback riding, and snowshoeing. The following year, Maria moved to the Adirondack Mountains in New York State to continue working towards a life of adventure and writing. She has continued rock and ice climbing, hiking in the High Peaks of the Adirondacks, and paddling through various rivers while documenting her experiences through writing. When Maria isn’t adventuring in the mountains, she can be found reading a book, fishing on a shoreline or spending time with family