DETROIT TIGERS
2025 finish: 87-75 (2nd in AL Central, lost in ALDS)
Manager: A.J. Hinch (394-416, 6th season)
Leading the front office: Scott Harris, president of baseball operations (5th season)
DOLLARS AND SENSE
Largest luxury tax hit: LHP Framber Valdez ($34.9 million)
Top returning players: C Dillon Dingler (4.1 fWAR), INF Zack McKinstry (3.2), OF Riley Greene (2.9)
Top returning starting pitchers: LHP Tarik Skubal (6.6), RHP Jack Flaherty (2.5), RHP Casey Mize (2.4)
Top returning relievers: RHP Will Vest (1.8), RHP Kyle Finnegan (0.7), RHP Brenan Hanifee (0.6)
ROSTER WATCH
Key additions: LHP Framber Valdez (free agent), RHP Justin Verlander (free agent), RHP Kenley Jansen (free agent), RHP Drew Anderson (free agent), OF Austin Slater (minors), RHP Scott Effross (minors), RHP Phil Bickford (minors), RHP Burch Smith (minors), RHP Woo-Suk Go (minors)
Key losses: RHP Chris Paddack (free agent), INF Andy Ibanez (free agent), RHP Rafael Montero (free agent), RHP Paul Sewald (free agent), RHP Alex Lange (free agent), RHP Jose Urquidy (free agent), OF Manuel Margo (free agent), RHP Tommy Kahnle (free agent), RHP Alex Cobb (free agent), RHP Jason Foley (free agent)
Baseball America top-100 prospect(s): SS Kevin McGonigle (2), OF Max Clark (6), SS Bryce Rainer (29), C/1B Josue Briceno (76)
Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch, right, watches batting practice during workouts at spring training baseball, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Lakeland. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
KEEP AN EYE ON
LHP Tarik Skubal asked for a record $32 million in his final year of arbitration after winning a second AL Cy Young Award and the panel ruled in favor of him over the Tigers’ $19 million offer. The 29-year-old has lowered his ERA each year in the majors and the Scott Boras client could set a record in free agency if he continues his trend in 2026.
Fifteen years later, RHP Justin Verlander, 43, is returning to the team where he won both a Cy Young and an MVP in 2011. Of course, Verlander — who turned in a serviceable 3.85 ERA over 152 innings last year with the Giants — is far from Detroit’s ace. That job goes to Skubal and new LHP Framber Valdez. This time around, Verlander can slot in between RHPs Jack Flaherty and Casey Mize in lengthening out one of the game’s best rotations.
Manager A.J. Hinch hasn’t typically relied on one closer in Detroit, but he could lean toward calling on new RHP Kenley Jansen more often than not. The 38-year-old is sitting on 476 saves so far, fourth most behind Mariano Rivera (652), Trevor Hoffman (601) and Lee Smith (478).
Fangraphs projection: 85.7 wins