The Tigers’ offseason problem is bigger than finding another bat. Detroit spent 2026 with a bullpen that too often let leads slip away, and that reality has to sit near the top of Scott Harris’ winter checklist.
The numbers tell the story plainly. Detroit went 76-86, and its relievers finished with 32 saves and 32 blown saves. That second total included chances before the ninth inning, so it did not mean 32 separate losses, but it still underscored the same issue: the late innings were not reliable enough.
That’s why Harris should be looking beyond free agency and into the trade market. There are different ways to attack the problem, and three pitchers stand out as possible fits: an established closer, a controllable arm with something to prove, and a steady setup piece who could help keep games in hand before the ninth.
Aroldis Chapman is the most obvious name if Detroit wants the quickest fix. The Boston Red Sox left-hander put together a dominant 2026 season, posting a 1.92 ERA with 35 saves and 71 strikeouts in 51 2/3 innings. His 2027 salary is now guaranteed at $13 million after he cleared the innings threshold and passed his end-of-season physical, and he’ll turn 39 before Opening Day.
Boston’s need for more offense could create the kind of opening Detroit would have to explore. A deal built around an affordable hitter, plus a secondary prospect, would make sense as a starting point if the Tigers took on the money.
The Red Sox could ask for more if they don’t have a strong replacement lined up, but Detroit shouldn’t be talking about any cornerstone prospect here. Chapman is worth checking on as a one-year answer, not a franchise-altering gamble.
Riley O’Brien offers a different kind of appeal. The St.
Louis Cardinals right-hander saved 38 games and struck out 64 batters across 64 innings in 2026, and he comes with four more seasons of club control. That gives Detroit a longer runway if it believes in the arm.
Still, the performance comes with real questions. O’Brien finished with a 4.08 ERA, and his second-half ERA rose to 5.11.
The Tigers would need to dig into his late-season velocity drop before moving forward. St.
Louis may also be willing to listen, especially with the Cardinals focused on younger talent and O’Brien turning 32 in February. A pitching prospect from the middle of Detroit’s top 30, along with another developmental player, would be a logical place to start.
But the price has to match the risk. The Cardinals can just as easily hold onto an inexpensive closer if the return isn’t right, and Detroit should be just as careful.
Kevin Kelly is the cleaner fit if the goal is to strengthen the bridge to the ninth rather than solve everything with one move. The Tampa Bay Rays right-hander turned in a 2.44 ERA and 0.90 WHIP over 73 2/3 innings in 2026, striking out 63 and walking only 11.
That kind of command plays anywhere, and it would help A.J. Hinch protect leads before the closer takes over.
Kelly wouldn’t replace the need for another ninth-inning arm by himself. He would complement one.
Tampa Bay’s run to the ALCS means the Rays have little reason to move useful pitchers cheaply, and Kelly’s control through 2029 gives them leverage. Detroit would likely have to offer a controllable hitter ready for the Majors, with a secondary prospect depending on the hitter’s value.
Of the three, Chapman is the first call because he addresses Detroit’s most obvious weakness most directly. Kelly makes sense as a support piece if the Tigers want to build a stronger bullpen around that.
O’Brien is the lower-cost, longer-control option, but only if the asking price stays in check. However Harris approaches it, the mission is clear: build a bullpen that can hold a lead across several innings, not just the final three outs.
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