Red Sox broadcaster Will Flemming on Alex Bregman and Detroit Tigers
Boston Red Sox radio voice Will Flemming joins “Days of Roar” to discuss what the Detroit Tigers would get by signing third baseman Alex Bregman.
Right-handed reliever Jack Little has returned to the Detroit Tigers.
The Tigers re-signed Little on Tuesday, Dec. 16, to a minor-league contract. The deal includes a non-roster invitation to MLB spring training and pays $850,000 if he makes the MLB roster, according to multiple people with knowledge of the agreement. He has two minor-league options remaining, so the Tigers can cycle him between Triple-A and MLB in 2026.
The 27-year-old made his MLB debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers in June 2025.
It has been a busy two months for Little, whom the Tigers claimed off waivers Nov. 6 from the Pittsburgh Pirates, designated for assignment Nov. 18 to open a spot on the 40-man roster and non-tendered Nov. 21 to force him into free agency. Before all of that, Little had been designated for assignment Aug. 4 by the Dodgers and claimed off waivers Aug. 6 by the Pirates.
The Tigers always intended to keep him in the organization.
Little, who turns 28 in mid-January, appeared in two games for the Dodgers in 2025, allowing two runs on four hits and one walk with two strikeouts across three innings. He threw 44 pitches during those two outings, featuring 25 four-seam fastballs, 12 sliders and seven splitters.
His fastball averaged 94 mph.
Glad to see Jack Little get claimed off of waivers by Pittsburgh. Little is the All-Time single-season and career leader in saves in the history of Stanford, so he is very good. After coming back from injury, he was on “helium” in terms of pitching well and working towards his… pic.twitter.com/8Lk27Fwhqv
— Dodgers Daily (@dodger_daily) August 8, 2025
In 2025, Little also tossed 62 innings in 50 games for Triple-A Oklahoma City (36 games) in the Dodgers’ organization and Triple-A Indianapolis (14 games) in the Pirates’ organization. He combined for a 4.06 ERA with 22 walks and 53 strikeouts.
Little finished 24 of those 36 games with Triple-A Oklahoma City, recording 13 saves along the way – giving him valuable experience as a high-leverage reliever at the highest level of the minor leagues.
He never pitched in the majors with the Pirates.
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Little throws three pitches: fastball, slider and splitter.
At the Triple-A level, Little dominated right-handed hitters but struggled against left-handed hitters. Righties hit .177 with a .545 OPS, while lefties hit .314 with a .789 OPS.
He missed the entire 2022 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
The Dodgers selected Little in the fifth round, at No. 161 overall, in the 2019 MLB Draft out of Stanford. In three seasons at Stanford, he became the all-time leader in program history with 28 saves, as well as setting the single-season record with 16 saves.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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