The Detroit Tigers have a reputation both from their own fanbase and generally across baseball as a small market club who is not willing to make huge free agency splash signings.
While this is not totally fair, the tendency has shown in the last several offseason periods to either sit out negotiations entirely, or narrowly come in a close second after not extending the kind of offer needed to land a star.
This has shown especially recently in the pitching market. Detroit did spend on Alex Cobb last year — which of course was a complete disaster — and came in late in the game for Jack Flaherty, but as deals for starting pitchers have gone up into the nine-figure range, the Tigers have not been willing to get involved.
Fans in Detroit who were hoping to see a change here this winter got a dose of bad news this week when the first major domino came off the board in the pitching market.
Dylan Cease’s Deal with Blue Jays is Bad News for Tigers
Oct 1, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease (84) delivers a pitch against the Chicago Cubs in the first inning during game two of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Wrigley Field. | Matt Marton-Imagn Images
On Wednesday evening, former San Diego Padres ace Dylan Cease inked a jaw-dropping seven-year deal with the defending American League champion Toronto Blue Jays. Despite coming off a season which was not even strong by his standards, Cease wound up signing a humungous long-term deal in an early indicator of what the market looks like at seven years and $210 million.
Never mind at least for the moment the impact a contract like this has on the eventual number for Tarik Skubal, it also indicates that just as it was last year, the demand for quality starting pitching is as high as it’s ever been.
Detroit fans hoping to see their team go after the likes of Framber Valdez, Michael King, or really any of the top of market names likely just got dealt a dose of reality as things start to heat up in free agency.
Tigers Likely Will Sit Out Negotiations Entirely for Top Free Agent Arms
Detroit Tigers president of baseball operation Scott Harris during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
A nine-figure contract for a starting pitcher is not exactly the method of operation for Detroit’s president of baseball operations Scott Harris, and this is one reason why keeping Skubal looks so unlikely.
With that being said, Tigers fans who would be content with signing a different ace both for 2026 and a potential post-Skubal era are likely going to wind up being extremely disappointed at the quality of pitcher Detroit winds up going after this winter.
The Tigers are almost certainly not offering anyone who ends up going for over $100 million, let alone the absurd number and length that Cease wound up receiving.
Instead, once again it will be second, third and even fourth tier options that Detroit tries to round out their rotation with as they did a year ago with Cobb. It may or may not work out with regards to the 2026 season, but it does not seem like much of a question who they are going to be pursuing.
Things could always change, but Detroit fans should not hold their breath if they want to see real difference making aces wearing a Tigers uniform next season.
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