Pitching was something that the Detroit Tigers had on their minds over the offseason. Deciding to keep Tarik Skubal, the club doubles down on bringing in talent to the starting rotation.
They struck a deal with Framber Valdez and were also able to bring back Justin Verlander. They have all the makings to perform as one of the best rotations in all of baseball.
However, it was not just the starting rotation that the team spent money on. They also brought in a few relievers, like Kenley Jansen, and re-signed Kyle Finnegan.
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MLB analyst questions the stability of the Tigers' bullpen in 2026
Jansen and Finnegan will both play a big role for Detroit's bullpen in 2026. That's not the question. The question is, who will manager A.J. Hinch turn to before them?
Tigers insider Jason Beck questions how Detroit will handle some of the late-inning situations this season.
"Detroit's bullpen has a quartet of proven relievers at the back end and some versatility for long and middle relief. In between, manager A.J. Hinch might have to get creative. Troy Melton is out until at least the end of May. Beau Briske is struggling to stay healthy in camp and Brant Hurter and Brenan Hanifee have had up-and-down springs. Tyler Holton is one of the best do-everything relievers in the league, but he can't be asked to do it all in April."
Detroit will need someone to step up and eat innings if need be, and be the guy that bridges the gap to get the ball to the high-leverage arms late in the game.
Maybe Drew Anderson or Enmanuel De Jesus can step up and take part in this role. If they can, then this is a Detroit team that the rest of the AL will want to pay attention to.
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