The Tigers have already made their offseason priorities plain, and pitching sits at the top of the list.
Scott Harris drove that point home just hours before Detroit landed Emilio Pagán on a one-year, $11.5 million deal at the GM Meetings. The bullpen got its first clear boost there, but the bigger question remains the rotation and how aggressive the front office wants to be in filling it out.
Detroit does have a decent number of starting candidates on paper, assuming Framber Valdez, Troy Melton, Jackson Jobe, River Ryan, Keider Montero, Reese Olson, and Drew Anderson are all healthy by Opening Day. Even so, Montero and Anderson could also work in swingman roles, and Harris made it clear after the season that he wished the club had built more depth into the roster.
That’s where Shota Imanaga comes back into the picture.
Evan Petzold reported last week that the Tigers had interest in Imanaga when he was coming over from NPB in the 2023-24 offseason. Jon Morosi says that interest has been renewed now that Imanaga is back on the market after three seasons with the Cubs.
The appeal is easy to see. Imanaga hasn’t quite matched the peak of his rookie year, but he has settled in as a steady starter with a 3.70-ish ERA over the last two seasons. His biggest flaw has been the long ball, though that may not carry the same sting in Detroit as it did in Chicago.
Last year, Imanaga allowed 1.9 homers per nine, then trimmed that only slightly to 1.8 this season. Even so, he paired that with a 1.096 WHIP and a strong 9.0 K/9, numbers that keep him firmly in the conversation as a useful rotation piece.
He’s a fly-ball pitcher, and 33.6% of the fly balls off him this year went to straightaway center field, where Fifth Third Field gives outfielders 20 extra feet of room. That matters in a way Wrigley’s wind often did not.
The pulled-ball damage is the part that still deserves a closer look. A total of 42.8% of his fly balls were pulled, which could still play against him since Fifth Third’s left and right fields are comparable, if not mostly shorter, than Wrigley’s.
Detroit would be betting on Imanaga’s ability to limit hard contact, and the split finger is a big reason why. Hitters managed only a .195 average and a .335 slugging percentage against that pitch, even as his fastball got hit hard.
Financially, Imanaga’s four-year, $53 million contract could be viewed in Detroit as something closer to a two-year, $36 million arrangement, similar to the one Jack Flaherty signed before the 2025 season. That kind of short-term deal with a healthy average annual value is a lane the Tigers know well.
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Tigers Linked To Risky Lefty With One Big Rotation Question
The Tigers are still shopping for pitching help, and the search has not been limited to bullpen arms. Detroit has also been tied to the left-handed starter market, where Shota Imanaga has emerged as one of the more interesting names to watch. The Cubs lefty brings durability and, in 2026, some signs of better fastball command, which helps explain why he keeps surfacing as a possible fit for a club looking to deepen its rotation.
Imanaga also comes with a real question attached to his profile, one that has followed him from Japan into his first three major league seasons. He has given up more home runs than any pitcher in that span, and that kind of risk matters for a Tigers team trying to balance upside with stability. Detroit is weighing several options, including David Peterson, but Imanagas mix of reliability and volatility makes him one of the more intriguing names in the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers Bullpen Move May Reveal Detroits Bigger Roster Plan
The Tigers have added another late-inning arm, agreeing to a one-year deal with Emilio Pagan as they continue to reshape a bullpen that needed help after a 76-86 season. Pagan arrives from the Reds with a track record that suggests Detroit is looking for more than just depth, but for a pitcher who can handle meaningful innings as the club tries to move back toward contention.
The reported $11 million commitment also hints at a broader roster approach, with the front office willing to spend on targeted upgrades rather than wait for the market to sort itself out. Pagans strong finish last season made him an appealing fit, and his arrival could be part of a larger plan that becomes clearer as the Tigers keep working through the rest of the winter. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers Face One Costly Decision In Shota Imanaga Pursuit
Shota Imanaga has quickly become one of the more intriguing names on the pitching market, and the Tigers are among the clubs keeping tabs on him. Detroit and San Diego have both shown interest in the left-hander, whose camp is looking for a multi-year commitment and a chance to pitch in October, which makes the fit a little more complicated than a simple bidding war.
For the Tigers, the appeal is obvious: Imanaga could step into a defined role and give the rotation a boost, but the contract picture is still murky. Analysts have pegged him for a two-year deal in the $34 million to $40 million range, though concerns about his home run rate could shape how long a team is willing to go, leaving Detroit with a decision that is as much about risk tolerance as talent. [Read more 🡒]