Tigers Shockingly Named to Shortlist as Suitor for Top Free Agent Slugger
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The Detroit Tigers' season came to a crushing conclusion in the same place it did a year prior; Game 5 of the ALDS.
While 2024 was the culmination of an epic and unlikely run to the postseason despite facing minuscule odds to do so going into the final stretch, 2025 was different. The Tigers looked like the best team in baseball for large parts of the year before ultimately collapsing down the stretch and limping into the playoffs.
If 2024 brought hope and optimism, 2025 reflected the fact that additions will be needed in order to actually take that next step as a franchise. The pitching staff and bullpen need help, but most glaring during the crumbling of 2025 was a lack of reliable offense.
As a result, they were surprisingly named to a shortlist of teams who could look to sign one of the top free agent sluggers on the market.
Tigers Mentioned as Great Fit for Kyle Schwarber
In his recent free agency big board, former MLB general manager Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required) put Detroit on a very small list of ideal fits for Philadelphia Phillies superstar designated hitter Kyle Schwarber.
"Although the Phillies will make every effort to re-sign him, it will be fascinating to see what offers Schwarber gets on the open market for his special power bat and ability to mentor younger players," Bowden wrote before naming the Tigers as one of three great fits along with the Phillies and New York Mets.
Bowden is certainly correct in pointing out how much the Phillies are going to try and bring him back, but if a team like Detroit is determined to add some pop, perhaps they can outbid Philadelphia.
Is Schwarber Even Good Fit for Tigers?
For the kind of production Schwarber would bring to a lineup, the likely $30 million AAV he may get over three or four years is beyond fair and should not be a deal the Tigers hesitates to hand him.
At the same time, though, there's some stuff to be concerned about here. For as much as manager A.J. Hinch likes to tool around with the lineup, having someone entrenched in the role of designated hitter and bringing next to zero defensive value is not generally a situation he'd covet.
However, bringing an end to a revolving door that saw 13 different players take at-bats from the DH slot in 2025 to have a clear answer at that position could be a positive.
The biggest issue with Schwarber may be the question as to whether or not Detroit needs another left-handed power bat who will push 200 strikeouts in a season given what they're already dealing with in trying to cut those numbers down for Riley Greene.
Still, 56 home runs and 132 RBI cannot be denied, and there's no question Schwarber would make this lineup better. Whether or not the Tigers feel that way remains to be seen, but don't be shocked if they become involved in the Schwarber sweepstakes.
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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.