Projected Rotation: Tarik Skubal, Jack Flaherty, Casey Mize, Reese Olsen, Keider Montero
If it’s the Tigers landing Ranger Suárez, the unknown is whether he would be joining or replacing Tarik Skubal atop the rotation.
Financially speaking, the “joining” option might be tough. They already have Jack Flaherty, Gleyber Torres and Javier Báez signed for a combined sum of $66.025M in 2026, with Skubal likely to run them another $20M. Add Suárez on top of that, plus, you know, 21 other players and they’d be looking at by far their highest Opening Day payroll since Chris Ilitch inherited the team from his late father.
But if they’re keeping Skubal, aren’t they already pretty darn committed to winning it all in 2026?
Couldn’t they handle a steeper payroll than normal for this coming season, already knowing that darn near half of it will be leaving in free agency next winter?
And wouldn’t it be fun to have one year of one of the best lefty-lefty top-of-the-rotation tandems in recent history?
“Replacing” could work, though, provided they’re getting one heck of a “helps right now” platter in return for Skubal. Otherwise, why even bother spending big for Suárez now?