Detroit Tigers’ Offseason Focus
The Detroit Tigers have entered the offseason prioritizing improvements to their pitching staff. This strategy has led them to acquire two significant bullpen pitchers, Kenley Jansen and Kyle Finnegan, as well as a rotation candidate, Drew Anderson, who recently performed well in South Korea.
Potential Pitching Targets
Several other pitchers have also been rumored to be connected to Detroit this winter, including Ranger Suarez, Zac Gallen, and others, including Chris Bassitt and Lucas Giolito, as reported by The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon.
Market Dynamics
Interestingly, the Tigers are the first known team to show interest in either Bassitt or Giolito while both have recently experienced successful seasons. This situation may reflect a slow-moving free-agent market for starting pitchers, as several top talents, including Suarez and Gallen, remain without deals while trade candidates like Freddy Peralta and MacKenzie Gore may still be available.
Player Evaluations
Bassitt, who turns 37 in February, has proven durable, pitching 723 innings over the past four seasons with only minor injuries. Despite a recent lower back issue that affected his playoff participation, he posted an impressive 1.04 ERA in 8.2 postseason innings. Over four seasons, he holds a 3.77 ERA, a 22.4% strikeout rate, and a 7.5% walk rate.
Contract Projections
MLB Trade Rumors anticipates Bassitt will receive a two-year, $38MM contract, ranking him 24th among the offseason’s top 50 free agents. Giolito is projected for a two-year, $32MM deal, although this may have been higher had he not faced recent injuries.
Future Considerations
Detroits’ starting rotation currently features players like Tarik Skubal and Jack Flaherty. The Tigers may benefit from signing a starter to a multi-year contract to enhance their rotation’s stability—noting that Skubal’s arbitration hearing will influence their financial decisions moving forward.
