The Tigers need starting pitching this offseason, but the profile they should be chasing is pretty clear: strikeout stuff first.
That’s the key thread running through this market, especially if Detroit wants to balance out the arms already in the system that are built more around contact. Framber Valdez, Troy Melton, Keider Montero and the possibly returning Reese Olson have all done their work by forcing balls in play. That makes the search for a swing-and-miss starter even more important, even if it means living with a slightly higher ERA.
The temptation, of course, is to chase the biggest name or the arm that looks best on paper. But that’s where the fit matters. Two pitchers in particular fit the “good player, maybe not the perfect Tiger” category: Sonny Gray and Michael King.
Gray put together a strong 2026 season, and there’s no denying the results. He sharpened his contact management with a .041 drop in wOBAcon, kept his walk rate at 6.7%, and still leaned on his elite sweeper, which was worth +8 run value.
That said, the red flag is hard to miss. His strikeout rate fell sharply from 2025 to 2026, dropping 4.9% to 21.7%.
He also saw a rise in pulled fly balls, up to 18.2%, which opens the door for some regression if the punchouts aren’t there to back it up.
King brings a different kind of appeal, and his opt-out decision makes him a name to watch. He did a strong job limiting damage on contact, posting an 87 mph average exit velocity and a 32.7% hard-hit rate.
But since his injury-shortened 2025 season, the strikeout pitch has not been as sharp. His K rate was once an elite 27.7%; now it sits at 21%, which is below average.
He has also seen his ground-ball rate climb, though that’s not really the trait Detroit needs most. There’s some luck caution here too, since his expected ERA based on contact was 4.42, a full 1.20 higher than his actual number.
His ability to suppress pulled fly balls helped him this year, but that 15% mark runs against his career range of 19-21% in his peak seasons.
Neither pitcher is a bad option. Both have playoff experience and quality stuff.
And in the right deal, either one could make sense. But because their market value is likely to be steep, the Tigers should move carefully before committing to either one.
In Other News...
Tigers Just Got A Crucial Troy Melton Rotation Update
Troy Meltons forearm tightness could have created a much bigger problem for the Tigers, but the latest update offers real relief as the club begins thinking ahead to its 2027 rotation picture. After landing on the injured list, Melton underwent testing that did not show any structural issues, and he has been cleared to keep up his normal offseason routine.
For a team already sorting through a long list of arms, that matters. Detroit is weighing how Melton fits alongside names like Framber Valdez, Jackson Jobe and River Ryan, and any concern around a young pitchers health can quickly complicate those plans. For now, the Tigers can at least move forward knowing Meltons situation appears far less ominous than it first seemed. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers Bullpen Questions Could Force Scott Harris To Look Inside
The Tigers spent much of the 2026 season trying to patch together a bullpen that never quite settled, with injuries and uneven work from several arms leaving the late innings as a recurring concern. In response, the club added Nick Sandlin on a minor-league deal after he was designated for assignment by the Angels, and his stint with the Toledo Mud Hens offered at least one encouraging sign as Detroit searched for usable relief options.
As the front office looks ahead, the pressure to find answers inside the organization could grow even stronger. Tyler Mattison, a right-handed pitcher the Tigers drafted in 2021, handled himself well in the minors and put himself on the radar for a possible bullpen look in 2027, which is the kind of internal development Detroit may need if it wants more stability without paying heavily on the open market. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers Fans Are Still Waiting To See The Tarik Skubal Payoff
Tarik Skubal is already on another stage this October, working in the NLCS for the Dodgers, which only sharpens the sense in Detroit that the full meaning of that trade still has to be sorted out. For Tigers fans, the conversation has shifted from the pitcher they watched leave to the three players the club brought back, and whether that package can eventually match the kind of impact Skubal is chasing elsewhere.
Zyhir Hope has given the Tigers the most encouraging early sign, turning heads with his performance in the Arizona Fall League. River Ryan has reached the majors, though injuries have complicated his path, and Brady Smith remains on the injured list while the organization expects him back in 2027. None of that settles the question yet, but it does give Detroit a reason to keep watching this deal with real interest. [Read more 🡒]