2025-2026 Tigers Off Season Thread

[roarintiger1]

We just need Jones to turn into JD Martinez and he will be fine in a Tiger uniform.   

[Tiger337]

4 minutes ago, papalawrence said:

Tigers Territory today talked about Jansen. Kind of meh, his secondary metrics were down. They compared statcast to Vest. They basically said it's good to have him in case Vest or Finnegan get hurt. I know he's 24 saves from 500 but I doubt the Tigers guaranteed him the full time closer role. I think Hinch will give him a lot of that load but also mix it up as he does.

 

I agree with this.  Jansen is good to have for one year, but he's no different than Vest or Finnegan.  They still lack a dominant reliever.  Teams can win with reliever depth though espeially with Harris/Fetter managing the bullpen.  I am more concerned with the starters.  I fear Olson won't give them many innings.  They really another reliable starter.  

[Tigermojo]

Malloy has options at least. Jones being a butcher in the field doesn't help his case.

[chasfh]

27 minutes ago, papalawrence said:

Tigers Territory today talked about Jansen. Kind of meh, his secondary metrics were down. They compared statcast to Vest. They basically said it's good to have him in case Vest or Finnegan get hurt. I know he's 24 saves from 500 but I doubt the Tigers guaranteed him the full time closer role. I think Hinch will give him a lot of that load but also mix it up as he does.

They mentioned something that is probably true - Detroit has likely made other pursuits and are getting declined. King recently reportedly turned his attention to 3 teams - Yankees, Red Sox and Orioles. Maybe/likely Harris did make pitches to the other top relievers and they just said no. And Harris doesn't seem one to ever overpay. 

MLB is not unlike the Premier League. They have their own "Big Six" there—Man City, Man U, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Tottenham—which draw in the elite soccer players of the world. Certain clubs pop up the table and generate consideration occasionally, like Leicester City or Newcastle United or Aston Villa or West Ham. But year in, year out, it's that Big Six, and those teams ended up at the top of the table five years ago, ten years ago, 15 and 20 and 25 years ago—just as they will this May. All the other teams bob in and out of the League, and essentially serve as chum for the Big Six, which use the others to sharpen themselves up for Champions League play.

If an elite soccer player wants to both get super paid and help their personal brand, those are the six teams they will focus on. Superstars are not going to end up signing with Brentford or Burnley or Wolverhampton Wanderers, because that would be career death. I mean, yeah, those clubs are in the Premier League, but let's be real: they are not premier teams.

This is allowed to happen in England, and really, most soccer countries, because those systems are truly capitalist, with teams being promoted and relegated based on where they land in the table, and if a team is financially struggling, I mean really struggling, they'll be allowed to simply "wind up", meaning go out of business. C'est la vie. There is no meaningful revenue share, or any other aid teams receive to maintain competitive balance. The lords of the Premier League couldn't give less of a **** about competitive balance, because six teams make the lion's share of the money for them, so that's where they focus all the eggs, and they lean into that and hard.

And so Baseball has also evolved to become similar. The difference between Baseball's Big Six situation and that of the Premier League is not as stark, but it is there. We won't see the Texas Rangers suddenly get their act together and become dominant year after year like the San Antonio Spurs were for a quarter of a century; or the Kansas City Royals become an elite team like the Kansas City Chiefs did for a decade running; and flip side, the New York Yankees and New York Mets could never become league ciphers like the New York Jets or Brooklyn Nets have, because those leagues operate their businesses to spread out the competitive balance in a way Baseball has practically refused to consider, at least thus far.

As long as Baseball runs its business like so, things are not going to magically change. The Tigers will never become an elite team year in and year out because we don't simply have the market size or national media cachet that the Big Six do, but also, we do not have the geographical/divisional proximity of a Philadelphia or Baltimore or Toronto or San Diego, who serve as a sort of Next Six level, that can help us get the occasional Pete Alonso or Kyle Schwarber or Fernando Tatis or Shohei Ohtani. We are a second tier market toiling away in flyover country. Elite players simply won't consider coming here as long as there is even a hint of interest from those other teams.

We don't have the resources or cachet to out-zig those teams, so we have to focus on out-zagging them. It's our only chance. That's what the Ilitch/Harris front office is working on at the moment, and I am comfortable rooting for that instead of pining away for something that will never happen, like a Soto or Ohtani or Snell or Japanese superstar signing here. I think we have basically one chance to crack the Next Six level that could last for half a decade or more, and that's re-signing Tarik Skubal. If we miss out on him, though, I think we are going to have to remain basically The Little Engine That Could, zagging our way to occasional relevance now and then.

[SoCalTiger]

45 minutes ago, chasfh said:

MLB is not unlike the Premier League. They have their own "Big Six" there—Man City, Man U, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Tottenham—which draw in the elite soccer players of the world. Certain clubs pop up the table and generate consideration occasionally, like Leicester City or Newcastle United or Aston Villa or West Ham. But year in, year out, it's that Big Six, and those teams ended up at the top of the table five years ago, ten years ago, 15 and 20 and 25 years ago—just as they will this May. All the other teams bob in and out of the League, and essentially serve as chum for the Big Six, which use the others to sharpen themselves up for Champions League play.

If an elite soccer player wants to both get super paid and help their personal brand, those are the six teams they will focus on. Superstars are not going to end up signing with Brentford or Burnley or Wolverhampton Wanderers, because that would be career death. I mean, yeah, those clubs are in the Premier League, but let's be real: they are not premier teams.

This is allowed to happen in England, and really, most soccer countries, because those systems are truly capitalist, with teams being promoted and relegated based on where they land in the table, and if a team is financially struggling, I mean really struggling, they'll be allowed to simply "wind up", meaning go out of business. C'est la vie. There is no meaningful revenue share, or any other aid teams receive to maintain competitive balance. The lords of the Premier League couldn't give less of a **** about competitive balance, because six teams make the lion's share of the money for them, so that's where they focus all the eggs, and they lean into that and hard.

And so Baseball has also evolved to become similar. The difference between Baseball's Big Six situation and that of the Premier League is not as stark, but it is there. We won't see the Texas Rangers suddenly get their act together and become dominant year after year like the San Antonio Spurs were for a quarter of a century; or the Kansas City Royals become an elite team like the Kansas City Chiefs did for a decade running; and flip side, the New York Yankees and New York Mets could never become league ciphers like the New York Jets or Brooklyn Nets have, because those leagues operate their businesses to spread out the competitive balance in a way Baseball has practically refused to consider, at least thus far.

As long as Baseball runs its business like so, things are not going to magically change. The Tigers will never become an elite team year in and year out because we don't simply have the market size or national media cachet that the Big Six do, but also, we do not have the geographical/divisional proximity of a Philadelphia or Baltimore or Toronto or San Diego, who serve as a sort of Next Six level, that can help us get the occasional Pete Alonso or Kyle Schwarber or Fernando Tatis or Shohei Ohtani. We are a second tier market toiling away in flyover country. Elite players simply won't consider coming here as long as there is even a hint of interest from those other teams.

We don't have the resources or cachet to out-zig those teams, so we have to focus on out-zagging them. It's our only chance. That's what the Ilitch/Harris front office is working on at the moment, and I am comfortable rooting for that instead of pining away for something that will never happen, like a Soto or Ohtani or Snell or Japanese superstar signing here. I think we have basically one chance to crack the Next Six level that could last for half a decade or more, and that's re-signing Tarik Skubal. If we miss out on him, though, I think we are going to have to remain basically The Little Engine That Could, zagging our way to occasional relevance now and then.

Super post. bang on. If I may add dominant "Villain " teams are actually good for the league overall. Fans love the drama and passion they bring. It's why the Yankees and Dodgers sell out their away games as well. It's not going to change because even the cheap owners benefit from it and the League sure as heck is not killing their golden goose and getting fired for it. So yes "pay to play" and draft and develop are the only option. And "rigid" Harris is following through. We are lucky to have him despite the sloooooow process. 

[Edman85]

I forget where I saw it and lost the tab, but Tyler Mattison said he is re-signing with the Tigers "after the Rule 5 Draft." I'm still waiting on those transactions (Darnell and Little too), as well as the Anderson/Finnegan/Jansen signings going official.

Edited Tuesday at 06:25 PM by Edman85

[Edman85]

3 hours ago, papalawrence said:

Someone like Sommers or Horn?

Sommers cannot be outrighted until March because he was added to the 40-man after August 15. It won't be him.

[Mr.TaterSalad]

21 hours ago, SoCalTiger said:

Super post. bang on. If I may add dominant "Villain " teams are actually good for the league overall. Fans love the drama and passion they bring. It's why the Yankees and Dodgers sell out their away games as well. It's not going to change because even the cheap owners benefit from it and the League sure as heck is not killing their golden goose and getting fired for it. So yes "pay to play" and draft and develop are the only option. And "rigid" Harris is following through. We are lucky to have him despite the sloooooow process. 

Can't one argue that parody has helped the NFL increase their ratings? Since the implementation of a rigid salary cap ratings for the NFL have done nothing but go up, in big markets and small. It has become the number one sports product in the US in its post salary cap era. Over the past three years you know what team has been one of the very best for TB ratings? Not the Giants or Jets in NYC. Not the Chargers or Rams in LA. But our Lions, right here in little ole, midwest, Detroit, MI.

Imagine if the NFL had no cap and a big 6 of the Chargers (LA), Cowboys (Dallas), Giants (NYC), Jets (NYC), Patriots (Boston), and Rams (LA) buying all the players, while everyone else lost all of their good players to them and the small market teams lost literally anyone good the minute their rookie contracts expired. I would argue and think it could be stated, that the NFL's ratings would be worse and its growth stunted as smaller and mid-market fans wouldn't have as much of a reason to care.

[gehringer_2]

1 hour ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

Can't one argue that parody has helped the NFL increase their ratings?

well, the Lions used to be a parody of a football team, but I don't think that ever helped their ratings......

😉

Edited 18 hours ago by gehringer_2

[SoCalTiger]

2 hours ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

Can't one argue that parody has helped the NFL increase their ratings? Since the implementation of a rigid salary cap ratings for the NFL have done nothing but go up, in big markets and small. It has become the number one sports product in the US in its post salary cap era. Over the past three years you know what team has been one of the very best for TB ratings? Not the Giants or Jets in NYC. Not the Chargers or Rams in LA. But our Lions, right here in little ole, midwest, Detroit, MI.

Imagine if the NFL had no cap and a big 6 of the Chargers (LA), Cowboys (Dallas), Giants (NYC), Jets (NYC), Patriots (Boston), and Rams (LA) buying all the players, while everyone else lost all of their good players to them and the small market teams lost literally anyone good the minute their rookie contracts expired. I would argue and think it could be stated, that the NFL's ratings would be worse and its growth stunted as smaller and mid-market fans wouldn't have as much of a reason to care.

I don't follow the NFL so it's hard for me to comment.

[Tiger337]

23 hours ago, SoCalTiger said:

Super post. bang on. If I may add dominant "Villain " teams are actually good for the league overall. Fans love the drama and passion they bring. It's why the Yankees and Dodgers sell out their away games as well. It's not going to change because even the cheap owners benefit from it and the League sure as heck is not killing their golden goose and getting fired for it.

I agree with this.   Dynasties and villain teams are great for sports.  There is nothing more fun than having your favorite team beat one of them.  

[Tigermojo]

Jansen official $9 million plus a $2 million buyout or $12 million 2027 option. 

[RatkoVarda]

this is almost like a parody of Harris you would see posted here. yikes.

Harris said the team is counting on returning players to develop during the offseason.

"Just because a lot of the names are the same, doesn't mean the team is the same," Harris said.

[Edman85]

1 hour ago, RatkoVarda said:

this is almost like a parody of Harris you would see posted here. yikes.

Harris said the team is counting on returning players to develop during the offseason.

"Just because a lot of the names are the same, doesn't mean the team is the same," Harris said.

Why is that a yikes?

[Tiger337]

12/17/25

Detroit Tigers activated LHP Bailey Horn.

What does it mean that Horn was "activated"?

 

[Edman85]

4 minutes ago, Tiger337 said:

12/17/25

Detroit Tigers activated LHP Bailey Horn.

What does it mean that Horn was "activated"?

 

I think that was an error. The transaction logs have had weird things all year.

I do wonder if this is a clue that he may be the DFA for Finnegan. In other words, whoever enters them had the DFA all ready and quickly just listed him as active. But he was already active.

[casimir]

2 hours ago, RatkoVarda said:

this is almost like a parody of Harris you would see posted here. yikes.

Harris said the team is counting on returning players to develop during the offseason.

"Just because a lot of the names are the same, doesn't mean the team is the same," Harris said.

I would expect the lineup to be a net positive on development.  It seems reasonable to think Dingler, Torkelson, Keith, Greene, Meadows, and Carpenter can improve upon last year as a group.  I think even Torres should show some improvement over last season since he played hurt in the 2nd half.  Vierling should be able to provide a good season as well.

I do see some concern with pitching, but it’s nothing a quality SP and a quality RP can’t help.

[Tiger337]

2 hours ago, RatkoVarda said:

this is almost like a parody of Harris you would see posted here. yikes.

Harris said the team is counting on returning players to develop during the offseason.

"Just because a lot of the names are the same, doesn't mean the team is the same," Harris said.

I don't want him to depend on it, but I don't think what he said was wrong.  There is a good chance we'll see a lot of internal improvement.  

[Tigermojo]

I guess Bregman shared a pic of him and Tork working out together. 

[RatkoVarda]

4 hours ago, Edman85 said:

Why is that a yikes?

Will this fit on a bumper sticker?

"Folks, we're bringing back the exact same team that had a months long historical collapse and relying on internal growth from those exact same players to hopefully get different results this time!"

If Torres and Vierling are healthy, then yes they should be better. But who is getting injured in 2026?

Greene and Carp may produce differently, but better?

Tork, Dingler, Keith, Perez and Meadows will all be better in 2026, unless they are worse.

McKinstry and Jones just had their career years; Baez gave you 1/2 season of competence before reverting back to his mean; Jake should be able to give them a bit more but still very little.

McGonigle IMO won't be up OD, and relying on him and some other guys with zero ML experience is doubling down and putting all your eggs in the player surprise/development/growth basket.

[IdahoBert]

52 minutes ago, Tigermojo said:

I guess Bregman shared a pic of him and Tork working out together. 

The Diamondbacks are courting Bregman. And I think the greater Phoenix Metropolitan area is Tork’s off season home. 

[gehringer_2]

38 minutes ago, RatkoVarda said:

doubling down and putting all your eggs in the player surprise/development/growth basket.

I think it's pretty well established at this point that this is exactly where they are and intend to stay. Team building by trade/FA will stay at the margins of the main effort.