Detroit – They were the stalwarts of the first bullpen manager AJ Hinch and pitching coach Chris Fetter built in Detroit. Now, they are starting over with new teams.
Jason Foley, non-tendered by the Tigers last month, signed a one-year, Major League deal with the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday.
And Alex Lange, designated for assignment by the Tigers Nov. 12, signed a one-year deal ($900,000) with Central Division rival Kansas City Royals on Nov. 20.
Both right-handed relievers are entering their age-30 seasons and are coming off major surgeries that cost them most of last season.
Foley didn’t make the Tigers’ Opening Day roster and pitched in just six games at Triple-A Toledo before being shut down with a shoulder injury that required season-ending surgery.
Lange, who underwent lat surgery in 2024, made it back and pitched in one game for the Tigers late last season.
But from 2022 through 2024, those two were workhorses for the Tigers. Foley pitched in 199 games and logged 189.1 innings over those three seasons, earning a team-high 28 saves in 2024.
In 2022 and 2023, Lange pitched in 138 games and covered 129.1 innings. He was the Tigers’ saves leader in 2023 with 26.
The Tigers are in the process of overhauling their bullpen. Besides Foley and Lange, relievers Tommy Kahnle, Chase Lee, Sean Guenther, Rafael Montero, Paul Sewald, Jose Urquidy and Chris Paddack have either been traded, released or entered free agency.
They brought back Kyle Finnegan on a two-year, $19 million contract and agreed to terms with veteran Kenley Jansen ($11 million with a club option for 2027). Those two deals are pending physicals and should be officially announced later this week.
Finnegan and Jansen join holdovers Will Vest and Tyler Holton. Brant Hurter, Brenan Hanifee, Beau Brieske, Bailey Horn, Dylan Smith and Drew Sommers, all still on the 40-man roster, will be fighting for spots this spring.
Also on Tuesday, the Tigers officially announced the signing of right-handed starter Drew Anderson for one year ($7 million) with a $10 million club option for 2027. The move was reported earlier this month.
@cmccosky