The Detroit Tigers spent the season chasing a fix they never quite found, and the clearest reason they’re still home while others are playing for a title sits in the bullpen.
That’s the lesson staring them in the face as the playoffs roll on. If the Tigers want to get back into the postseason conversation, they have to study what the Milwaukee Brewers have done on the mound.
Milwaukee’s bullpen has been a wrecking crew, with relievers turning opposing lineups quiet after the starter leaves. Aaron Ashby has been the headliner, working 18-plus innings this postseason without allowing a run.
He’s hardly alone. DL Hall and Antonio Senzatela have combined to appear in 10 games, and none of those outings have gone on the scoreboard against them. Abner Uribe and Trevor Megill have also done their part, both carrying ERAs below 1.64.
Detroit, meanwhile, lived on the other side of that coin. The Tigers were strong when games weren’t hanging in the balance, but when pressure mounted, they didn’t have a reliever who could step in and stop the bleeding. That showed up in a brutal total of 29 blown saves.
By the end of the year, Detroit was 10 games under .500, and the bullpen was the issue that kept coming back. No roster wins or loses on one unit alone, but it’s hard not to look at those late-game failures and wonder how different things might have looked if the Tigers had trusted arm to bridge the gap in tight spots.
The path forward is obvious enough. If Detroit wants to rebound next year, it needs to add a proven reliever this winter.
One name worth watching is David Bednar, who could become the most sought-after closer on the market if he decides against a qualifying offer and reaches free agency. If that happens, the Tigers should be in the hunt after he piled up 35 saves in 2026.
Another option is Adrian Morejon, who hasn’t had the same chance to close games as Bednar because he shares a staff with Mason Miller, but he did give the Padres valuable innings and posted a 2.83 ERA in 76 games this season.
Detroit has options, and the front office will have a chance to address the problem. If it doesn’t, the Tigers may be in the same place again next October, watching the games from afar.
In Other News...
Tigers Outfield Crunch Could Push Familiar Names Out Of Detroit
The Tigers long-term outfield picture is starting to look crowded, and that is before any spring training battles even begin. Riley Greene, Max Clark and Kerry Carpenter appear to have strong cases to be in the Opening Day mix, which makes the competition behind them even tighter for a club trying to sort out who fits where in the years ahead.
That squeeze leaves several familiar names fighting for survival, not just playing time. Zach McKinstry, Ben Malgeri and Parker Meadows will have to win jobs the hard way, while Matt Vierling and Wenceel Prez are among the players whose status could be complicated by performance and health concerns as Detroit tries to trim a crowded group down to workable roster space. [Read more 🡒]
Tarik Skubal Trade Saga Looks Wilder After Tigers Deadline Pivot
The Tarik Skubal trade chatter keeps getting more interesting in hindsight, especially after Andy McCullough of The Athletic reported that Milwaukee put together a serious offer for the Detroit ace. The Brewers proposed package reportedly centered on prospects Luis Pea, Jett Williams and Josh Adamczewski, a sign they were willing to make a real run at adding one of the games top pitchers.
Milwaukee ultimately did not include starter Logan Henderson in the talks, and the Tigers instead moved Skubal to the Dodgers. What makes the whole episode stand out even more is how it played out from there, with the Brewers missing on the blockbuster but still going on to win the World Series anyway. For Detroit, it adds another layer to a deadline decision that already looked like one of the biggest pivots of the summer. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers Awards Surge Just Made Scott Harris Questions Even Louder
The Tigers spent the offseason collecting individual recognition in a way that only sharpened the bigger conversation around the club. Dillon Dingler, Zach McKinstry, Kevin McGonigle and Riley Greene all picked up nominations and awards for their work during the 2026 season, a reminder that Detroit had more than a few players who stood out on either side of the ball even as the team as a whole fell short. For Scott Harris, it is the kind of mixed message that can make an evaluation both easier and harder at the same time.
What the awards do not answer is the question looming over 2027, which is whether Detroit can turn those individual bright spots into a more complete season. The Tigers still finished with a losing record, and the gap between standout performances and actual team progress remains the issue that matters most. Until the organization proves it can convert that talent into wins, the offseason honors will read less like validation and more like another reason the questions keep getting louder. [Read more 🡒]