The Detroit Tigers could have money to spend this winter. Finding places to spend it will not be difficult.
MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand recently identified a long list of potential 2027 free-agent fits for Detroit, ranging from Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Randy Arozarena to Michael King, Sonny Gray, David Bednar and Pete Fairbanks. Before anybody starts Photoshopping all of them into Old English D hats, an important distinction is required.
This is not a report that Detroit is actively negotiating with those players. Most are logical roster fits identified while examining what president of baseball operations Scott Harris could do this offseason.
Still, the list is interesting because identifies exactly where the Tigers appear most capable of spending: second base, right field, the rotation and the back end of the bullpen.
Some Tigers Fits Make Much More Sense Than Others
Start with the offense.Gleyber Torres can become a free agent, potentially leaving Detroit with an opening at second base. Chisholm, Luis Arraez and Brandon Lowe are among the possibilities identified by MLB.
Chisholm is easily the most intriguing of those three. He would add speed, power and athleticism to a lineup already being built around Kevin McGonigle, Riley Greene and Max Clark. He is also entering his age-29 season, making him younger than many of the prominent names in the class.
Arraez would bring elite contact skills, while Lowe offers considerably more power. , alongside several other names connected to Detroit’s possible needs.
The outfield may be even more interesting.
Seiya Suzuki and Arozarena would give Detroit another established bat while the organization waits to see how quickly Zyhir Hope can force his way into the Major League picture. Hope’s development has already become .
That makes an outfielder on a reasonable contract much easier to justify than blocking Hope for the better part of a decade.
Detroit Does Not Need to Shop Like a Desperate Team
The most important part of this offseason may be recognizing what Detroit does not need.The Tigers have Framber Valdez leading a rotation that could also include Jackson Jobe, Troy Melton, Keider Montero and eventually River Ryan. Drew Anderson’s $10 million club option gives them another choice.
Does that mean Detroit should ignore Michael King, Sonny Gray, Nick Martinez or Clay Holmes?
Of course not.
It does mean the Tigers do not have to win a bidding war simply because a recognizable starting pitcher becomes available. The rotation has enough young talent that Detroit can wait for value rather than shop out of desperation.
The financial flexibility is legitimate. FanGraphs currently projects roughly before the roster is fully built.
That is a dramatically different position from entering an offseason already squeezed against the top of the payroll.
The Bullpen Could Be Where the Rumor Gets Interesting
Bednar and Fairbanks deserve special attention.Feinsand went beyond simply listing available relievers, writing that the Tigers are a near lock to look for another closer and specifically identifying Bednar and Fairbanks as players Detroit could target. He also reported that Detroit liked Bednar when he was available via trade previously, but decided the prospect price was too high.
That is much closer to something worth circling than a generic free-agent fit.
Kenley Jansen’s season has already forced Detroit to deal with instability at the back of its bullpen, including an earlier stretch when his injury left .
Bednar would bring a proven late-inning option. Fairbanks offers power stuff and substantial closing experience. Either would address a need without requiring Detroit to disturb its young position-player core.
The Tigers’ Best Shopping List Is Probably Shorter
This is where a list of 15 possible free agents becomes less exciting, but much more useful.Detroit does not need 15 players.
It probably needs two or three good ones.
An impact second baseman or outfielder would deepen a lineup that has already . A legitimate closer would solve an obvious bullpen problem. Another starter makes sense if Detroit finds the right price rather than simply the biggest name.
My early favorites from Feinsand’s list are Chisholm, Suzuki or Arozarena, and Bednar.
That combination would add athleticism and offense without blocking every young player in sight, while also giving Hinch a more dependable ninth-inning answer.
The Tigers should have money.
The interesting part will be finding out whether this is the winter they finally use that flexibility to supplement the young core rather than asking the young core to solve everything itself.
