2025-2026 Tigers Off Season Thread

[Tiger337]

1 hour ago, chasfh said:

At least one guy is.

I don't think he really is.   

[gehringer_2]

4 hours ago, chasfh said:

Yeah, I think it can be discounted. More than that. Disregarded. It's bonkers to think he will torpedo a high-profile business just to spend the money on a broad instead.

LOL; Bill Gates, about as button down a nose to the grindstoner as ever was, blew more on his involvement with a woman than Ilitch even dreams about. It can happen.

That said, I have no reason at all to believe it will, but there are no certainties when it comes to older men and younger women.

[Edman85]

I take back something from yesterday. Jose Urquidy was listed in the BA Transactions log as signing a successor contract, which seems to be the Tigers telegraphing they are declining his option and have him locked up for next year.

Also included was Eduardo Valencia, which to me suggests they don't plan on protecting him from the Rule 5, since why sign to a successor contract when you can just add him to the 40 man roster in November to circumvent free agency? 

[4hzglory]

25 minutes ago, Edman85 said:

I take back something from yesterday. Jose Urquidy was listed in the BA Transactions log as signing a successor contract, which seems to be the Tigers telegraphing they are declining his option and have him locked up for next year.

Also included was Eduardo Valencia, which to me suggests they don't plan on protecting him from the Rule 5, since why sign to a successor contract when you can just add him to the 40 man roster in November to circumvent free agency? 

So does a successor contract mean they will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft?

[Edman85]

Just now, 4hzglory said:

So does a successor contract mean they will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft?

Yes, they would be.

[4hzglory]

2 minutes ago, Edman85 said:

Yes, they would be.

Thank you.

I'm surprised they did that with Urquidy since his option seemed reasonable for a flyer at SP - especially when they gave Cobb what they did.  

 

I guess if either one is chosen, it means they can then protect someone else.

Edited October 16 by 4hzglory

[Edman85]

Just now, 4hzglory said:

Thank you.

I'm surprised they did that with Urquidy since his option seemed reasonable for a flyer at SP - especially when they gave Cobb what they did.

Probably deemed he wasn't worth a 40-man spot, and if he was amenable to a minor league deal, it works out.

[romad1]

WWDDD?  

WWMID? 

Well, Mike Illitch would sign Skubal and direct Dave Dombrowski to go out and get a second near Skubal level talent.   

Then again Dave was responsible for his share of doozies.  

This is interesting. 

https://www.mlive.com/tigers/2015/08/a_look_back_at_dave_dombrowski.html

[Sports_Freak]

2 hours ago, romad1 said:

WWDDD?  

WWMID? 

Well, Mike Illitch would sign Skubal and direct Dave Dombrowski to go out and get a second near Skubal level talent.   

Then again Dave was responsible for his share of doozies.  

This is interesting. 

https://www.mlive.com/tigers/2015/08/a_look_back_at_dave_dombrowski.html

DD proved you can trade away every bit of minor league talent and still win big, if you have unlimited money to spend on payroll. And that will work for several years. But it will eventually catch up to a team and cause several years of fans suffering. I wouldn't trade those seasons, as a fan, even if it wasn't possible to continue the winning. Those years were, by far, the most successful seasons of my lifetime. And I'm old as dirt. 🤣🤣

[romad1]

31 minutes ago, Sports_Freak said:

DD proved you can trade away every bit of minor league talent and still win big, if you have unlimited money to spend on payroll. And that will work for several years. But it will eventually catch up to a team and cause several years of fans suffering. I wouldn't trade those seasons, as a fan, even if it wasn't possible to continue the winning. Those years were, by far, the most successful seasons of my lifetime. And I'm old as dirt. 🤣🤣

Concur.  If the Illitch family wanted they could field a WS contender every year. 

[casimir]

On 10/15/2025 at 8:44 PM, Tiger337 said:

That could very well be true, but there should be a 40-man roster spot for him.   

I don’t know.  It depends on what other moves are made.  I could be wrong, but I think he’s out of minor league options.  I’m suspect of his 2025 numbers repeating.  I think it’s easier to bring him back if he has options.  Greene, Carpenter, Meadows, Vierling, Perez is a lot of OF covered.  Will they carry Jones as a RHH DH again?

[gehringer_2]

10 hours ago, chasfh said:

but with Max Anderson taking reps at third (and looking good there!)

That would be nice news. The CW was that the arm would not play there.

Edited October 17 by gehringer_2

[chasfh]

On 10/15/2025 at 5:21 PM, papalawrence said:

I see Wenceel having a nice ~ 8-9 year career, mostly as a solid utility player. He has value similar to McKinstry level. But neither are long term starter talent. 

I think so, too. Wenceel is either a fourth guy for a playoff team or a starter for a second-division team. Heck, if he were to settle into a career with the Angels or the Pirates of the game, I bet he could be a multiple-time All-Star.

[chasfh]

On 10/15/2025 at 6:19 PM, AlaskanTigersFan said:

Munetaka Murakami - https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25259728-munetaka-murakami-babe-ruth-higo-really-worth-hype

I wonder if Harris would dip his toes into the international market........?

Good luck selling him on Detroit over Los Angeles or San Francisco or Seattle.

[RatkoVarda]

Harris needs to do 3 things this Winter that I don't think he has done before:

1. Sign an impact FA (Bregman or Bichette are only clean fits)

2. Trade real young talent/prospects. They do not need 7 guys for second base.

3. Trade a superstar. Skubal is leaving. And if all they get is a 2027 draft pick as compensation, THAT will set the franchise back for years.

[chasfh]

On 10/15/2025 at 9:01 PM, Tiger337 said:

They won't get either one.  They are going to make another run at Bregman and fall short.  Don't worry though.  They'll sign a pitcher coming off an injury and another one that used to be good 5 years ago.  They'll also get a bunch of relievers off the waiver wire and trade Malloy for a gritty utility guy.  

I’ll be on board with your cynicism once I see Harris sell off Skubal and ends up making it significantly harder to compete in 2026.

[chasfh]

22 hours ago, papalawrence said:

While I think his season likely dropped his value some, before the season started, the lowest projections I saw for his value on the market were 400+ and some speculated 500. I think 10/400 is a likely salary for him, and it won't be Detroit 

People don’t remember this, but Tucker got off to an all-world start this year, which really helped his final numbers. He also missed almost all of September with a calf strain, which would make me a little nervous if we signed him.

[chasfh]

7 hours ago, gehringer_2 said:

LOL; Bill Gates, about as button down a nose to the grindstoner as ever was, blew more on his involvement with a woman than Ilitch even dreams about. It can happen.

That said, I have no reason at all to believe it will, but there are no certainties when it comes to older men and younger women.

Maybe, but Bill Gates did not intentionally starve his business for her.

Come on.

[Sports_Freak]

If Flaherty doesn't opt out, I could see Harris not signing a SP. Maybe a couple arms for the BP but you just never know how they will work out. BP arms are so unpredictable. I could see Harris using limited resources on a RH 3rd baseman....or a RH DH? Suarez? Maybe...

[chasfh]

2 hours ago, Sports_Freak said:

DD proved you can trade away every bit of minor league talent and still win big, if you have unlimited money to spend on payroll. And that will work for several years. But it will eventually catch up to a team and cause several years of fans suffering. I wouldn't trade those seasons, as a fan, even if it wasn't possible to continue the winning. Those years were, by far, the most successful seasons of my lifetime. And I'm old as dirt. 🤣🤣

True, they had two World Series and four consecutive playoff appearances. We’d never had that before. I will also say I was never as excited for the future at any point with that team as I am with this one. 

[chasfh]

49 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

That would be nice news. The CW was that the arm would not play there.

Max A crushed it when it came to assists and putouts per game, with only two errors in 185 innings, or about MLB average.

[chasfh]

10 minutes ago, Sports_Freak said:

If Flaherty doesn't opt out, I could see Harris not signing a SP.

I can’t see that.

[chasfh]

21 minutes ago, RatkoVarda said:

Harris needs to do 3 things this Winter that I don't think he has done before:

1. Sign an impact FA (Bregman or Bichette are only clean fits)

2. Trade real young talent/prospects. They do not need 7 guys for second base.

3. Trade a superstar. Skubal is leaving. And if all they get is a 2027 draft pick as compensation, THAT will set the franchise back for years.

I don’t necessarily buy #3, especially if we win a pennant with him in the driver’s seat.

[Sports_Freak]

22 hours ago, papalawrence said:

While I think his season likely dropped his value some, before the season started, the lowest projections I saw for his value on the market were 400+ and some speculated 500. I think 10/400 is a likely salary for him, and it won't be Detroit 

You're not kidding. I looked it up and there is a lot of speculation it will be the Dodgers. Or Yankees. $400 million or more.

[gehringer_2]

11 minutes ago, chasfh said:

True, they had two World Series and four consecutive playoff appearances. We’d never had that before. I will also say I was never as excited for the future at any point with that team as I am with this one. 

IDK - by about 2012 I though we were set for a generation with Scherzer and Verlander as anchors. Then instead of spending whatever it took to lock those to up and then staying patient on everything else, they got impatient and ended up slowly frittering it away. But '12, '13 I felt as hopeful about that team as I do about this one. But once Max walked what was over the horizon did just keep getting bleaker.

 

Edited October 17 by gehringer_2