2025-2026 Tigers Off Season Thread

[gehringer_2]

3 hours ago, Graterol said:

0.6 WAR and 4.0 FIP. Don’t mind it so long as $6 mil or less. 

I saw Janen look bad a couple of times last season - hope that isn't the trend.

[IdahoBert]

1 hour ago, buddha said:

maeda, morton, and now jansen.  fetter can fix a lot of things, but he cant turn back time.

But can he find a way?

[gehringer_2]

3 hours ago, Graterol said:

Assuming no more moves and good health, rotation would be Skubal, Flaherty, Olson, mize, Anderson.

Locks in pen would be Vest, Finnegan, Jensen, Melton (or swap with Anderson), Holton, Hurter. Still would love another pitcher or 2 but doesn’t look horrible.

Melton should be better than Anderson but we'll see.

[papalawrence]

1 hour ago, gehringer_2 said:

I saw Janen look bad a couple of times last season - hope that isn't the trend.

The only times I saw him pitch last season  his cutter wasn't cutting and he was basically throwing batting practice. Per his stats he must have pitched well the games I didn't see.

[Tiger337]

2 hours ago, buddha said:

maeda, morton, and now jansen.  fetter can fix a lot of things, but he cant turn back time.

It seems like a lazy move to me.  I hope I'm wrong.    

[Sports_Freak]

1 hour ago, gehringer_2 said:

Melton should be better than Anderson but we'll see.

Are they going to limit innings for Melton?

[AlaskanTigersFan]

Dustin May signed with St. Louis. I really would have liked to take a flyer on that guy..... I think he could be a legit #2 starter still........

[Tenacious D]

Torres, Flaherty, Finnegan, Jensen and Anderson so far through mid-December.  Two more months of offseason left.  How we feeling so far?

[Tigermojo]

35 minutes ago, Tenacious D said:

Torres, Flaherty, Finnegan, Jensen and Anderson so far through mid-December.  Two more months of offseason left.  How we feeling so far?

Good. I'm confident the youngsters will continue to improve but I would not complain if they added a number two starter or an impact bat.

[HeyAbbott]

46 minutes ago, Tenacious D said:

Torres, Flaherty, Finnegan, Jensen and Anderson so far through mid-December.  Two more months of offseason left.  How we feeling so far?

It's looking a lot like a clearance sale of week old bread at a local mom and pop bakery. I do not see much in quality.

[papalawrence]

50 minutes ago, HeyAbbott said:

It's looking a lot like a clearance sale of week old bread at a local mom and pop bakery. I do not see much in quality.

That old bread makes the best stuffing!

[Tiger337]

7 hours ago, Tenacious D said:

Torres, Flaherty, Finnegan, Jensen and Anderson so far through mid-December.  Two more months of offseason left.  How we feeling so far?

I am feeling OK.  It is what I expected.  I liked that they retained the first three.  Anderson is a complete question mark.  Jansen is meh.    

[Motor City Sonics]

Chris Illitch is not going to spend big money on player payroll.  He spent it on development and he's probably telling Harris (and Yzerman) - build from within - that's they only way you're gonna do it. 

[Tiger337]

13 minutes ago, Motor City Sonics said:

Chris Illitch is not going to spend big money on player payroll.  He spent it on development and he's probably telling Harris (and Yzerman) - build from within - that's they only way you're gonna do it. 

I agree.  They might spend on a certain player one year (like the 80s Tigers signing Evans), but it's not something we can expect on a regular basis.  

[gehringer_2]

47 minutes ago, Motor City Sonics said:

Chris Illitch is not going to spend big money on player payroll.  He spent it on development and he's probably telling Harris (and Yzerman) - build from within - that's they only way you're gonna do it. 

the NHL is a different situation. The Wings have spent to the cap - if anything the Wings have hampered themselves at points by not leaving themselves cap space to pick up better players that become available because they spent it on poor players.

[alex]

22 minutes ago, Tiger337 said:

I agree.  They might spend on a certain player one year (like the 80s Tigers signing Evans), but it's not something we can expect on a regular basis.  

I agree for the 'most' part. However, IMHO, I think they will try to add still with what they feel comfortable with ex maybe up to a 2-4 year offer for a legit SP ex King, Suarez, Gallen, or try to trade. Although Harris has not/shown he can trade for an established MLB player, one would think he has to be able to trade a prospect or two at some point and do this? Now is the time and I do not mean trading a top 4 or 5 prospect (McG, Clark, Rainer, ... ) but we have several 2B, C types ex Anderson, Jung, Lee, etc. Problem here is that most teams are looking for P and we are thin there.

With said they have to know where their SP is at after this yr (Skubal, Mize and Flaherty all FAs).

I also think they may strongly consider making offers, that they are comfortable with again, to a few position players ex Bichette, Kim, etc. or even Bregman as they monitor each situation. This does mean they are going to land anyone (a SP or bat), but they will still go along with each one they may be interested in and make an offer when the time is right.

[papalawrence]

This past week on foul territory (mlb one, not Tigers) one of the guys, think it was AJ Pierzinski, said he recently spoke with Chris Illitch and Illitch said he intends to try and keep Skubal. I don't think it's 100% a forgone conclusion that he is gone. 90%, sure. We don't know what Chris is thinking. Is there a part of him that wants to win for his father? He's probably about business and Skubal is gone. I still hold out 10% hope he stays. And I also think it's probably a bad business decision to pay him 400. Being a Tigers fan ain't a picnic.

Edited 7 hours ago by papalawrence

[RatkoVarda]

10 hours ago, Tenacious D said:

Torres, Flaherty, Finnegan, Jensen and Anderson so far through mid-December.  Two more months of offseason left.  How we feeling so far?

either you are getting better or you are getting worse. i don't think they are worse, so I guess they are a bit better, but Finnegan only guy I expect to see in 2027. nothing really done at all to build the team, as much as stocking the 2026 shelves, which is fine for now.

i see Mil and KC swapped young players, something that is long overdue for Harris. if you hold onto young talent and they blossom, you look smart. but if they go nowhere, that's a lost opportunity. Jung, Malloy, Sweeney look to be non-contributors to this organization, who now have almost no trade value. After McGonigle arrives, there is not gong to be room for both Anderson and Lee. Dingler and Tork, + Briceno and Liranzo, + Valencia and Malloy = someone's got to go eventually.

[Dan Gilmore]

11 hours ago, Tenacious D said:

Torres, Flaherty, Finnegan, Jensen and Anderson so far through mid-December.  Two more months of offseason left.  How we feeling so far?

Since there are 60+ days left before Spring training, I am okay with where things stand now. Torres and Flaherty taking the QO filled two potential holes, and getting Finnegan back plus Jansen meant having a stronger end to the BP, at least potentially. Don’t know if Anderson is a positive addition, but some depth at least. If that’s it, I’ll be minorly disappointed. If they add any of the following: SP/LHP for the BP/RH bat for OF or left side of the IF -that would have me feeling better still, maybe even good.

[Sports_Freak]

12 hours ago, Tenacious D said:

Torres, Flaherty, Finnegan, Jensen and Anderson so far through mid-December.  Two more months of offseason left.  How we feeling so far?

I don't see it as how much time is left before spring training. I look at it as what players have already come off the board and which player(s) are still available? Is there still a decent SP, better than one of our rotation arms? How about a RH bat? At which position?

[casimir]

4 hours ago, RatkoVarda said:

either you are getting better or you are getting worse. i don't think they are worse, so I guess they are a bit better, but Finnegan only guy I expect to see in 2027. nothing really done at all to build the team, as much as stocking the 2026 shelves, which is fine for now.

i see Mil and KC swapped young players, something that is long overdue for Harris. if you hold onto young talent and they blossom, you look smart. but if they go nowhere, that's a lost opportunity. Jung, Malloy, Sweeney look to be non-contributors to this organization, who now have almost no trade value. After McGonigle arrives, there is not gong to be room for both Anderson and Lee. Dingler and Tork, + Briceno and Liranzo, + Valencia and Malloy = someone's got to go eventually.

With regards to Malloy, I’m not sure what the Tigers are doing with two RHH DHs on the 40 man (Malloy and Jones) while allowing a RP with some bat miss ability (Petit) to be exposed to the rule 5.  I suspect Jones won’t produce again like he did in 2025.  And how long until admitting the Malloy square peg ain’t going fit in the round hole of the active 26 man roster?