In most years, Detroit Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris and general manager Jeff Greenberg would acknowledge they’re finished with upgrades in the starting rotation.
This offseason is different.
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That’s because the Tigers are listening to trade offers for Tarik Skubal – the reigning back-to-back American League Cy Young winner – as he prepares for free agency after the 2026 season. The Tigers aren’t expected to trade him unless it’s an offer they can’t refuse.
“We obviously feel good about the state of our rotation,” Greenberg said Dec. 9 at the Winter Meetings in Orlando, Florida. “We have going into the season nine or 10 guys who provide us that impact, that depth, but just given the realities of starting pitching, we’re always going to be open-minded to finding additional opportunities.”
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Baseball fans watch Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal warm up in the bullpen at Comerica Park in Detroit before a start against the Chicago Cubs on Friday, June 6, 2025.
For now, the Tigers are counting on a deep group of starting pitchers to carry them through the 2026 season, in order of how Greenberg listed them: Skubal, Jack Flaherty, Casey Mize, Reese Olson, Troy Melton, Drew Anderson, Sawyer Gipson-Long, Keider Montero and Ty Madden, plus Jackson Jobe at some point in the second half upon his return from Tommy John surgery.
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What do those additional opportunities look like for the Tigers?
It sounds like more depth.
“It’s harder now given the makeup of our rotation,” Harris said Dec. 8 at the Winter Meetings. “That starting pitching may have to be optionable. We may have to find non-roster options. Things like that. I think we’re in a much healthier place with our rotation than we have been in recent years. But yeah, we’re going to keep adding.”
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The Tigers used 11 traditional starters in the 2025 season, not including relievers who served as openers. Those starters were Skubal, Flaherty, Mize, Olson, Montero, Jobe, Melton, Gipson-Long, Charlie Morton, Chris Paddack and Dietrich Enns.
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The rotation produced a 3.91 ERA that ranked 11th among the 30 MLB teams, but without Skubal’s 2.21 ERA across 195â…“ innings, the rotation would’ve had a 4.45 ERA.
With at least nine starters locked in for 2026, the Tigers aren’t pursuing splashy upgrades via free agency or trades. Don’t expect the Tigers to sign any of the top remaining free-agent starters, such as Framber Valdez, Ranger Suárez, Michael King or Zac Gallen.
What happens if the Tigers trade Skubal?
A contingency plan would be wise.
“What exactly that looks like, that will evolve as the offseason goes on,” Greenberg said, referencing the additional opportunities. “That could come through free agency, that could come through trade, that could come through smaller means. I think that’s a day-to-day process that we just have to stay open-minded to based on what else is happening out there.”
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Consider a scenario in which the top free-agent starters sign elsewhere, only for the Tigers to receive – and accept – a blockbuster offer for Skubal before spring training, thus losing the best pitcher in baseball.
Suddenly, the Tigers’ rotation would be in shambles.
Acquiring a frontline starter via free agency or trade this offseason would safeguard the Tigers, both in 2026 (with or without Skubal) and in 2027 and beyond (without Skubal).
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For now, the Tigers are prioritizing depth through waiver claims and minor-league contracts.
“It reminds me of the last two springs, standing in front of you guys with way too many starters for the rotation spots,” Harris said. “In the modern era, you need to attack it by quality and volume. You can’t just choose between the two. At this point in December, generally, we’re just trying to add as much pitching as we possibly can, trusting that we’re going to be able to figure it out.”
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tigers like starting rotation as Tarik Skubal trade rumors swirl