The Detroit Tigers are heading into the offseason with bullpen help on the shopping list, and that makes one March move look a lot more expensive in hindsight.
Dylan Smith is the clearest example. Detroit sent the right-hander to the San Francisco Giants for cash considerations on March 30 after designating him for assignment, getting no prospect back who could eventually make the deal look better. Since then, Smith has given the Tigers something to think about.
In 42 appearances for San Francisco, Smith posted a 3.86 ERA with 45 strikeouts over 39.2 innings. He also carried a 1.44 WHIP, which is a reminder that this was not a breakout that turned him into a shutdown reliever. But he did prove he could be a useful arm, and that matters for a team trying to build out a deeper bullpen.
That need is bigger than just finding a closer. Detroit needs relievers who can soak up innings when a starter leaves early and cover when the main late-game options need a breather. Smith fits that kind of roster conversation better than a lot of pitchers who only look good in theory.
He also showed value as a shuttle arm for San Francisco. The Giants optioned him to Sacramento after the trade, then brought him back when the opportunity opened up. That sort of flexibility carries real weight over a full season.
From Detroit’s side, keeping Smith would not have meant locking him into the Opening Day bullpen. It would have meant using a different 40-man spot, which is a separate calculation. A pitcher who can stay available in Triple-A still gives a club something useful, even if he is not in the preferred group of eight relievers.
There is a straightforward reason the Tigers made the move at the time. They designated Smith for assignment while creating space for Kevin McGonigle, and opening that spot for a young infielder made sense. Smith also came into the season with just 13 innings of Major League experience, and his 1.38 ERA in that small 2025 sample did not guarantee he could hold up over more work.
Once Detroit removed him from the roster, taking cash was at least a way to get something back instead of losing him for nothing on waivers.
Still, the more interesting question is whether Smith should have been the one to go in the first place. His run with the Giants gives the Tigers a reason to think harder about how they value affordable bullpen depth, especially when roster space gets tight.
At 26, Smith is still a developing pitcher with flaws. Even so, he showed enough to make the lost opportunity worth revisiting as Detroit sorts through its winter bullpen plans.
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