Report: Tigers bolster bullpen with addition of future Hall of Fame closer

With one addition to the bullpen, the Detroit Tigers may have cemented themselves as the favorites atop the American League Central.

Bullpen struggles haunted Detroit last season (-3.2 WAA, 7th worst) and its offseason additions have looked to improve that. That continued Saturday with the signing of a future Hall of Fame closer.

According to ESPN's MLB insider Jeff Passan, the Tigers and longtime closer Kenley Jansen are in agreement on a one-year deal with a club option for the 2027 season. The deal with Jansen comes just one day after Detroit re-signed setup man Kyle Finnegan to a two-year contract.

Jansen has bounced around the league over the last several seasons, as he's pitched for four teams in the last five seasons. His production has declined a bit, as he's failed to collect 30 saves in each of the last three seasons. His strikeout numbers have also been down, as he's failed to reach 65 strikeouts in each of the previous three seasons as well.

He will join a bullpen in Detroit that features the aforementioned Finnegan, as well as last year's closer Will Vest. It'll be an intriguing battle to see who will win the closer role coming out of spring training. If it is Jansen, he is just 26 saves away from the milestone 500-save club that only two pitchers before him have reached.

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