The Tigers’ latest loss to the Twins was ugly from the jump, and it left Kyle Finnegan’s role looking even shakier than before. Detroit fell 15-2 on Tuesday, making it back-to-back losses by 10 or more runs, and the bullpen unraveling gave plenty of people a share of the blame.
A Dillon Dingler throwing error helped open the door for Minnesota in the fifth, Troy Melton lost command by the sixth, and by the time Finnegan entered with one out and the score 7-1, the game was already tilting hard. What happened next was a full-on collapse: double, walk, RBI single, sac fly, walk, three-run homer. When Finnegan was lifted for Beau Brieske, the Twins had pushed it to 12-1.
It was Finnegan’s worst outing of the season, but it also fit the broader picture of what has been a rough year. His 4.07 ERA doesn’t fully capture how unreliable he has been, and the 1.63 WHIP tells the story much better.
The money attached to him only sharpens the issue. Finnegan is still owed $8 million in 2027, and there is a mutual option worth $10 million for 2028. The Tigers should not pick that up, and the stronger move is to move on from him as soon as the season ends.
For now, though, Detroit is stuck with a few more weeks and not many appealing alternatives. The Tigers have roughly 20 games left, and Finnegan is still a better option than the arms they have parked in the minors. That means using him carefully and getting through the stretch, even if the bigger conclusion is already clear.
The offseason, though, needs to bring a reset in the bullpen. Scott Harris has to tear it down and rebuild it, and with the market expected to move quickly because of fear of a lockout, he needs to be aggressive. The Tigers need at least two new late-inning arms right away to replace Finnegan and Jansen.
Harris had a chance to address the problem at the trade deadline and didn’t. Maybe when the focus shifts from spending prospects to simply buying, something will finally change. Either way, Finnegan should not be on the roster next season.
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