The Detroit Tigers’ bullpen overhaul starts with the lesson from Kenley Jansen’s season: the late innings were too volatile, and the results showed it. In 50 relief appearances, the Tigers went 31-19, but Jansen’s year was defined by a bullpen that unraveled around him, finishing with 31 blown saves - the most in franchise history and one more than the previous marks set in 2004 and 2008.
Jansen’s own numbers help explain why Detroit moved on. He posted the seventh-best fWAR among Tigers relievers at 0.3, with Drew Sommers leading the group at 0.8, but the rest of the profile was rougher.
His home run-to-fly ball rate climbed to 11.5%, his second-worst xFIP among Detroit relievers with at least 20 innings was 4.48, and he struggled badly when the pressure spiked. Opponents produced a .714 OPS against him in high-leverage spots, and six of the seven homers he allowed came in those moments, including four walk-offs.
That’s why Raisel Iglesias stands out as a cleaner fit for what Detroit needs. He brings the kind of steadiness the Tigers were missing, and the numbers back it up: since 2023, he leads the majors with 130 saves, has converted 89% of his chances, and has only 16 blown saves. He also just wrapped up the 2026 season with 34 saves in 59 relief outings, a 2.55 ERA and a 3.45 xFIP, easing some of the concern that came after a 2025 season in which he finished with a 3.21 ERA, his highest since 2019.
The consistency is the selling point. Iglesias has reached 34 saves in two of his last three seasons, and six of his nine seasons as a full-time closer since 2017 have ended with at least 30 saves. He has also shown he can shift roles when needed, just as he did with the Braves in 2022, when he worked as Jansen’s setup man and logged 15 holds with 17 saves in 21 opportunities.
He has never been a pure velocity arm, but Iglesias has long leaned on command and a three-pitch mix built around his changeup, slider and four-seam fastball. In 2026, he finished in the 74th percentile in Pitching, while his offspeed stuff bounced back to the 80th percentile after falling to 29th the year before. His pitches also kept missing bats and drawing chases at a strong clip, landing in the 99th and 82nd percentiles, respectively.
There are still real blemishes. Hard contact remains an issue, especially on the four-seam fastball and sinker.
Opponents raised their Hard Hit% against his four-seamer from 39.1% to 47.1%, and the pitch’s xSLG jumped from .311 to .412 even though it finished at +2 Run Value. The sinker was even more troublesome.
It does not usually miss many bats, and when it catches too much of the zone, hitters can do damage. Iglesias allowed a .494 xSLG on the pitch in 2026, the highest of any offering in his arsenal, echoing the rough stretches he had in 2018 and 2019, when he gave up .604 and .586, respectively.
Age is part of the equation too. Iglesias turns 37 in January 2027, so the risk is obvious, and that likely keeps the market in the two-year range. Projections have pegged his value with an AAV of $13-15 million, and Steamer sees a possible step forward in 2027, forecasting a 3.34 xFIP thanks to better strikeout and walk numbers, even if the home run rate could still sit above 10%.
If Detroit lands Iglesias as its closer, the bullpen gets a much firmer foundation. After that, the next job is obvious: add a couple more arms around him so this year’s collapse doesn’t happen again.
In Other News...
Tigers Suddenly Have A Chance To Change Their International Reputation
The Tigers have spent more aggressively in the international market lately, and their recent meeting with Japanese pitching prospect Shoki Oda is another sign they want to be part of that conversation. Oda, an 18-year-old high school arm, is drawing attention from a long list of MLB suitors, with clubs such as the Dodgers, Phillies, Mets, Cardinals, Blue Jays, Astros and Yankees all reportedly in the mix as he weighs a jump to the majors.
For Detroit, the interest goes beyond one player. Landing Oda could give the Tigers a rare foothold with Japanese amateurs at a time when more prospects are at least considering skipping Nippon Professional Baseball altogether. If the Tigers can turn that increased spending into a signing like this, it would say something about how they want to be viewed internationally, not just at home in the AL Central. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers Suddenly Have One Offseason Health Question They Can't Ignore
Scott Harris used the GM Meetings to give a clearer picture of where several injured Tigers stand heading into the winter, and the updates offered a mix of relief and concern. Reese Olson is still working back from right shoulder surgery done in February 2026, with Harris describing the recovery as start-and-stop but encouraging overall, while Will Vest has come through two surgeries for a stress fracture in his elbow and a hip issue and is expected to be ready for spring training.
Kerry Carpenter may be the most important name in the group because this offseason is about more than simply getting healthy. He was limited by plantar fasciitis in 2026, but Harris said he is healthy now, and the bigger question is whether the Tigers can count on him for a more durable, full-time role next season. For a club trying to sort out its roster and its depth, that kind of health check matters just as much as any transaction. [Read more 🡒]
Dillon Dingler Just Became A Bigger Tigers Contract Question
After dealing Tarik Skubal to the Dodgers last year, the Tigers have been trying to keep their focus on the next wave of roster building, and Dillon Dingler has quickly become one of the more interesting contract cases on the board. Detroit has a homegrown player it would like to keep around, but the timing of his future now sits in the middle of a broader labor discussion that could reshape how teams approach extension talks.
Proposed changes in the next MLB Collective Bargaining Agreement could alter when players become eligible for free agency, including a path for players 30 and older to reach the market after five years of service. There is also a Cornerstone Player Provision in the mix, designed to encourage players to stay put by offering longer and richer deals with their current clubs, which could make Dingler's negotiations even more important for the Tigers as they weigh how aggressive to be with players they want to build around. [Read more 🡒]