{"id":563712,"date":"2026-02-10T06:43:30","date_gmt":"2026-02-10T06:43:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/563712\/"},"modified":"2026-02-10T06:43:30","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T06:43:30","slug":"konnor-pilkington-left-hander-signs-minor-league-deal-with-tigers-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/563712\/","title":{"rendered":"Konnor Pilkington, left-hander, signs minor-league deal with Tigers"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Detroit Tigers<\/a> have added another left-handed option to their bullpen with spring training on the horizon.<\/p>\n

Left-handed reliever Konnor Pilkington<\/a> signed a minor-league contract Monday, Feb. 9, with the Tigers, just two days before pitchers and catchers report to camp in Lakeland, Florida.<\/p>\n

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Signing with the Tigers, the 28-year-old received a non-roster invitation to MLB spring training and will earn $1.2 million if he makes the MLB roster, plus a potential $250,000 in incentives, according to a person with knowledge of the agreement.<\/p>\n

SPRING IS HERE: Top prospects among Tigers’ 23 non-roster invitees to spring training<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Washington<\/p>\n

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Konnor Pilkington (45) pitches during the fifth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, on Aug. 16, 2025.<\/p>\n

Pilkington has one minor-league option remaining, so if he ends up on the 40-man roster, the Tigers can shuffle him between Triple-A and MLB throughout the 2026 season.<\/p>\n

In 2025, Pilkington posted a 4.45 ERA with 17 walks (13.8% walk rate) and 34 strikeouts (27.6% strikeout rate) across 28\u2153 innings in 32 relief appearances for the Washington Nationals<\/a>. He also had a 2.59 ERA across 41\u2154 innings in 36 games for Triple-A Rochester.<\/p>\n

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He has struggled with walks throughout his career.<\/p>\n

The Nationals designated Pilkington for assignment Jan. 28; he then elected free agency Thursday instead of accepting an outright assignment to the Triple-A level.<\/p>\n

[ MUST LISTEN:\u00a0Make\u00a0“Days of Roar”<\/a>\u00a0your go-to Tigers\u00a0podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple<\/a>,\u00a0Spotify<\/a>)\u00a0]<\/p>\n

Pilkington has pitched in parts of three MLB seasons with the Cleveland Guardians<\/a> (2022-23) and Nationals (2025). He owns a career 3.97 ERA with a 12.9% walk rate and 22.1% strikeout rate, spanning 88\u2153 innings in 48 games (11 starts).<\/p>\n

The Chicago White Sox<\/a> selected Pilkington in the third round, at No. 81 overall, in the 2018 draft out of Mississippi State. He was traded from the White Sox to the Guardians at the 2021 trade deadline in exchange for infielder C\u00e9sar Hern\u00e1ndez<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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This story will be updated.<\/p>\n

Contact Evan Petzold at\u00a0epetzold@freepress.com<\/a>\u00a0or follow him\u00a0@EvanPetzold<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Listen to our weekly Tigers show\u00a0“Days of Roar”<\/a>\u00a0every Monday afternoon during the season and Tuesday afternoon during the offseason on\u00a0Apple<\/a>,\u00a0Spotify<\/a>\u00a0or wherever you listen to podcasts.<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Konnor Pilkington, LHP, signs minor-league deal with Detroit Tigers<\/a><\/p>\n