Tarik Skubal will draw the spotlight when the Detroit Tigers begin their weekend series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday, but Drew Anderson may end up carrying the more important test for Detroit.
Anderson is set for his seventh start after spending most of the season working as a multi-inning reliever. Through 81.1 innings, the right-hander has gone 4-5 with a 4.09 ERA, a 1.29 WHIP and 91 strikeouts.
Those numbers only tell part of the story. He has started, opened, covered multiple innings and picked up two saves, then moved into the rotation after the Tigers traded Skubal and Casey Mize.
His recent stretch has given Detroit a better feel for what he can be. Over his last four outings, Anderson has posted a 3.57 ERA in 17.2 innings, giving up 16 hits and six walks while striking out 13. He has worked five innings in each of his last two starts, though opponents also tagged him for four home runs during that four-game run.
The Tigers did not bring him back last winter expecting a traditional ace. They signed him out of the Korea Baseball Organization because his improved pitch mix gave them a versatile arm who could handle starts and soak up tough innings.
The contract reflected that possibility: one year, $7 million, with a $10 million club option for 2027, according to MLB.com's report on the agreement. There is no buyout penalty attached, leaving Detroit with a clean decision when the season ends.
That decision will not hinge on one night against the Dodgers. Los Angeles entered Friday with one of the deepest lineups in baseball, and Skubal’s return creates an unusual setting at Comerica Park. Still, a strong outing would show the Tigers that Anderson can handle a demanding start, not just survive in shorter stints.
That is where the real calculation begins for Detroit. A $10 million starter who can give dependable innings would fit a rotation that has already lost Skubal and Mize. A $10 million swingman is a much tougher sell, especially if the Tigers have to spend heavily to find higher-end pitching.
Anderson’s strikeout numbers give him a case, and the home-run issues give the warning label. He has done enough with his durability and flexibility to stay in the conversation, but six starts are not enough to settle whether he belongs in the rotation for 2027.
Friday offers one more meaningful look. Anderson won’t get the crowd reaction, emotion or national attention surrounding the two-time American League Cy Young Award winner on the other side. But his start could help shape one of Detroit’s first major offseason calls.
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