The Tigers' Offseason Moves: Torres, Flaherty, and the Quest for a Winning Season
The Detroit Tigers' offseason moves have been a topic of interest, with two key players, Gleyber Torres and Jack Flaherty, deciding to stay with the team. Both players could have tested the free agent market, but instead chose to remain with the Tigers, solidifying their roster by mid-November. This decision comes after a season of ups and downs for both players.
Torres, a second baseman, initially joined the Tigers on a one-year, $15MM contract during the 2024-25 offseason. He was looking for one-year offers and aimed to re-establish his value after a somewhat average 2024 season with the Yankees. New York did not issue Torres a qualifying offer, but the Tigers did, and Torres accepted it, seeing it as an opportunity to prove himself and help the team.
Flaherty, a right-handed pitcher, also chose to stay with the Tigers for the third straight offseason. He signed a one-year, $14MM free agent pact with Detroit in December 2023 and won a World Series ring with the Dodgers after being traded to Los Angeles at the trade deadline. Flaherty then returned to the Tigers on a two-year, $35MM guarantee, with an additional $10MM in 2026 if he meets a bonus clause.
The Tigers' most significant moves for much of the offseason included re-signing Kyle Finnegan, signing Kenley Jansen and Drew Anderson, and retaining Torres and Flaherty. However, the team's fortunes changed when they made a pair of major rotation signings in Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander, bolstering the pitching staff and potentially making Flaherty the fifth starter.
Despite the additions, the Tigers' lineup remains tilted heavily to the left side, with Torres and Spencer Torkelson as the most prominent right-handed bats. The team is still linked to Alex Bregman and a few other position players, but they have stood pat with their lineup, putting pressure on Torres and the rest of the hitters to deliver more consistent performances in 2026.
