The Tigers didn’t just dip their toes into the offseason waters - they dove in headfirst, and they waited until the final moments to make the biggest splash. With spring training looming, Detroit landed the last marquee free agent on the market in Framber Valdez. That move alone would’ve been enough to turn heads, but then came the curveball: Justin Verlander is coming back to the Motor City.
That late-breaking reunion with Verlander wasn’t just a nostalgic nod to the past - it was a calculated move to bolster a rotation that’s suddenly looking like one of the most formidable in the American League. And while Verlander’s deal is a bargain on paper - just $13 million, most of it deferred - Valdez’s contract is a different story. Detroit is committing $115 million over three years to the left-hander, signaling a clear shift in how this franchise is approaching its window to win.
Add in Tarik Skubal’s record-setting arbitration salary, and the Tigers now find themselves with a 40-man payroll that’s topped $200 million - more than double what they were working with just two years ago. That’s not a typo.
This is a team that, not long ago, was near the bottom of the league in spending. Now?
They’re outpacing the Red Sox, Rangers, and Giants in payroll. Let that sink in.
So where’s all that money going? Let’s break it down.
According to Cot’s Contracts, the top five salaries on the Tigers’ roster for next season each clear the $20 million mark:
- Tarik Skubal: $32 million
- Javier Báez: $24 million
- Framber Valdez: $22.83 million
- Gleyber Torres: $22.03 million
- Jack Flaherty: $20 million
That’s over $120 million tied up in five players - a top-heavy structure that comes with both upside and risk. Skubal has emerged as a true ace, and Valdez brings playoff experience and a high floor to the rotation. Torres, who accepted the team’s qualifying offer, is a productive bat in the middle infield, though his future in Detroit likely ends after this season.
But then there’s Báez and Flaherty - two players whose 2025 performances didn’t quite live up to their price tags. Both are tough to move, which means the Tigers are banking on bounce-backs or at least league-average production to justify those salaries.
Beyond the big five, Detroit made a trio of savvy additions to its bullpen this winter. Kenley Jansen ($9 million), Kyle Finnegan ($8.75 million), and Drew Anderson ($7 million) were all brought in to stabilize the late innings - a clear sign that the front office isn’t content with just scoring runs; they want to protect leads, too.
Most of the rest of the roster remains cost-controlled, thanks to arbitration deals and pre-arb contracts. Aside from Colt Keith, who’s locked in for the long haul, the Tigers are still benefiting from young talent on affordable deals - a crucial balance when you’re handing out big-money contracts elsewhere.
The Tigers’ luxury tax payroll now sits at $239.3 million, just a hair under the 2026 threshold of $244 million. That ranks ninth in all of MLB, a staggering rise for a team that was once synonymous with rebuilding.
This is no longer a low-budget, scrappy squad trying to punch above its weight. This is a franchise spending like it means business.
And that’s the biggest takeaway here - Detroit is acting like a contender again. After back-to-back ALDS appearances that ended in heartbreak, the front office clearly believes they’re just a few pieces away from pushing deeper into October. With a reshaped rotation, a deeper bullpen, and a lineup that’s starting to come into its own, the Tigers are shedding their underdog identity.
This isn’t a team hoping to be competitive. This is a team expecting to win. And with over $200 million invested in that belief, the message is clear: the Tigers are back, and they’re not sneaking up on anyone anymore.