Even with Jack Flaherty opting in for 2026, the Detroit Tigers’ rotation still feels one arm short-especially if this team plans to take a real step forward. Tarik Skubal has emerged as a legitimate frontline starter, the kind of guy you hand the ball to in October.
But behind him? That’s where things get murky.
If the Tigers want to be more than just a team on the rise, they’ll need to add another starter who can hold his own under postseason pressure.
So far, though, this offseason hasn’t exactly broken Detroit’s way. The Cardinals pulled off a savvy move, landing Sonny Gray and shipping him to Boston in a deal that raised some eyebrows. Meanwhile, Dylan Cease landed a massive $200+ million deal with the Blue Jays-another reminder that the Tigers haven’t shown a willingness to play in the deep end of the free-agent pool.
That means Detroit might need to get creative. With Cease setting the market and pitchers like Michael King potentially pricing themselves out of range, the Tigers could be looking at more of a value play than a headliner. Enter Zac Gallen.
Yes, that Zac Gallen-the one who’s been in the Cy Young conversation multiple times and has been the ace of a playoff-caliber staff. He’s coming off a rough season by his standards, but that’s exactly why he might make sense for a team like Detroit. The upside is still there, and the price tag might be a little more manageable than it would’ve been a year ago.
According to reporting ahead of the Winter Meetings, Gallen could be a name to watch. Super-agent Scott Boras represents him, and while Boras usually aims high, there’s a sense that a change of scenery could be in play for Gallen. The Tigers were mentioned as one of the teams that might benefit from giving him that fresh start.
Now, let’s talk about the numbers. Gallen still logged close to 200 innings last season, which matters-a lot.
But his ERA ballooned to 4.83, and his strikeout rate dipped to 21.5%, down from a career mark of 25.6%. That’s not nothing.
A look under the hood shows that his cutter, sinker, and slider all lost some bite, which essentially turned him into a two-pitch pitcher. And when hitters know what’s coming-or at least what’s not coming-it becomes a lot easier to square the ball up.
That said, this isn’t a lost cause. Gallen’s track record suggests there’s still a high-level starter in there.
The question is whether a team like the Tigers, who have shown flashes of strong pitching development, can help him get back to form. If they can, this could be the kind of move that changes the complexion of their rotation without breaking the bank.
Of course, all of this hinges on one key decision: whether or not the Tigers are serious about building around Skubal. If trading him is even remotely on the table, it’s hard to imagine them going all-in on another top arm. But if the plan is to build around their ace, then a buy-low swing on someone like Gallen could be exactly the kind of under-the-radar move that gives this team a shot at making real noise.
In a winter where top arms are commanding top dollar, the Tigers don’t need to outspend everyone-they just need to outsmart them. Gallen might be the kind of calculated risk that pays off.