2025-2026 Tigers Off Season Thread

[holygoat]

 

[CaliforniaDreaming]

3 hours ago, Stormin said:

Home opener should be close to a sell out regardless of pitcher.  If JV pitches game 2 of the series,   the Tigers could start the season with 2 sold out games.

This. It is the smart move.

[Scottwood]

Cots Contracts has the Tigers an estimated  $4,641,591 below the luxury tax.

[casimir]

1 hour ago, Scottwood said:

Cots Contracts has the Tigers an estimated  $4,641,591 below the luxury tax.

Ample room to sign me to a deal.

[Longgone]

11 hours ago, tiger2022 said:

True, but shoulder injuries are the kiss of death for a pitcher.

If it's just a labral tear, the outlook is actually pretty good, if there is some structural instability, then less so.

[chasfh]

14 hours ago, IdahoBert said:

I’m just amazed that there will be no blackouts on mlb.tv anymore. Of course, the only time I suffered from a blackout was when the Tigers were playing the Mariners but still it’s going to be nice to be able to see all the games.

I think that’s because there are no more RSNs and their local advertisers to protect. Since MLB.tv will now be the exclusive broadcaster, neither part of the equation needs protection.

[Edman85]

4 hours ago, Scottwood said:

Cots Contracts has the Tigers an estimated  $4,641,591 below the luxury tax.

I don't know where they are getting their AAV for Valdez and Verlander with the deferral schedule not announced yet. Even the bonus deferred for $1M per over 20 years is above their number for Valdez.

[chasfh]

12 hours ago, Tigeraholic1 said:

 

I would not be disappointed if they started Verlander in San Diego and had Skubal open in Detroit.

[Tiger337]

I am excited to see what Verlander can do, but he could just as easily be the next Charlie Morton as be the hometown hero making his grand exit.  I'd be happy if he's a good five inning fifth starter with occasional flashes of his old self.   

[Shelton]

34 minutes ago, Edman85 said:

I don't know where they are getting their AAV for Valdez and Verlander with the deferral schedule not announced yet. Even the bonus deferred for $1M per over 20 years is above their number for Valdez.

I think I saw the deferral schedule for both reported somewhere yesterday. Valdez had a relative low salary this year, higher next year, the signing bonus was being paid starting a few years from now. And verlander’s deferral was also reported as 2 million this year and 11 million starting in 2030. That’s just from memory but there is at least some detail out there. 
 

How MLB is going to value each of these is a different story, but there might be enough information out there to at least estimate. 
 

I am pretty confident that whatever it is, the team is well aware of the limit, and will stay under. 

[Tigermojo]

"Feb. 10: Detroit has officially announced the Valdez signing. He’ll earn a base salary of $17.5MM in 2026, $37.5MM 2027, and $35MM in 2028. Valdez can opt out after 2027. The deal also includes a $40MM mutual option for 2029 with a $5MM buyout. Valdez’ $20MM signing bonus is entirely deferred, with payments not starting until 2030."

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/02/tigers-framber-valdez-agree-to-three-year-deal.html

[KL2]

41 minutes ago, Tiger337 said:

I am excited to see what Verlander can do, but he could just as easily be the next Charlie Morton as be the hometown hero making his grand exit.  I'd be happy if he's a good five inning fifth starter with occasional flashes of his old self.   

By a very quick count looks like 6 out of 29 starts were under 5 innings. So he should be good for five or six, some knowledge and good memories. You could do a lot worse for a backend guy

 

[lordstanley]

 

 

[Tigermojo]

"Valdez will earn base salaries of $17.5 million in 2026, $37.5 million in '27 and $35 million in '28. He has the right to opt-out of the contract following the '27 campaign. The contract also includes a mutual option for 2029 at $40 million with a $5 million buyout. Valdez will receive a $20 million signing bonus, all deferred, with payments starting in 2030.

 

Additionally, the base salary in each year of this contract from 2027-29 may be escalated by as much as $5 million if, in the immediately preceding season, Valdez achieves the following award recognition and does not end the season on the injured list. Here are the possible escalators:

 

Cy Young first place: $2 million

Cy Young second place: $1 million

Cy Young third place: $500,000

WS MVP: $2 million

ALCS MVP: $1 million"

https://www.mlb.com/tigers/news/framber-valdez-tigers-contract

[oblong]

My sister died the first week of September, 2017. The last thing we talked about was Verlander being traded. She didn't like it obviously.  She was going into hospice and communication was tough at that point. I thought about that just now after seeing a photo of him in camp in a Tiger uniform.

[IdahoBert]

4 minutes ago, oblong said:

My sister died the first week of September, 2017. The last thing we talked about was Verlander being traded. She didn't like it obviously.  She was going into hospice and communication was tough at that point. I thought about that just now after seeing a photo of him in camp in a Tiger uniform.

That’s a tough memory… 

[lordstanley]

 

 

[Edman85]

Starting in 2030 does not give the schedule, @Tigermojo @Shelton

AAV is way different for all paid out in 2030 or spread out over 5, 10, 20, 40 years. Without the actual precise schedule, the luxury tax hit is unknown for both deals.

[romad1]

1 hour ago, oblong said:

My sister died the first week of September, 2017. The last thing we talked about was Verlander being traded. She didn't like it obviously.  She was going into hospice and communication was tough at that point. I thought about that just now after seeing a photo of him in camp in a Tiger uniform.

 

55 minutes ago, IdahoBert said:

That’s a tough memory… 

I was travelling to my mother's funeral on the west side of the state and had to stop off at my sister-in-law's house and my Mother-in-law who was staying with SIL for memory care and I watched a JV start against the Angels where he pitched a gem.  It was a lovely memory because MIL went downhill pretty quickly after that and we had some nice conversations during the game.  My last time interacting with the real MIL.  

[romad1]

Just now, romad1 said:

 

I was travelling to my mother's funeral on the west side of the state and had to stop off at my sister-in-law's house and my Mother-in-law who was staying with SIL for memory care and I watched a JV start against the Angels where he pitched a gem.  It was a lovely memory because MIL went downhill pretty quickly after that and we had some nice conversations during the game.  My last time interacting with the real MIL.  

This was the game

 

[Shinzaki]

I don't know if anyone has made rthis joke yet..But Skubal is Cy Young...Verlander is Cy Old

[CMRivdogs]

I guess to me JV's always been THE GUY in my relatively short (compared to most of you guys) Tiger fandom. A Virginia kid, went to ODU, always seems down to earth (even with Kate)

 

[Tigermojo]

2 minutes ago, Shinzaki said:

I don't know if anyone has made rthis joke yet..But Skubal is Cy Young...Verlander is Cy Old

Audible Cy

[Sports_Freak]

3 hours ago, KL2 said:

By a very quick count looks like 6 out of 29 starts were under 5 innings. So he should be good for five or six, some knowledge and good memories. You could do a lot worse for a backend guy

 

He may help out some of the younger Tiger pitchers. Even if there's only a couple?

[Tenacious D]