Tigers join the battle for top free agent starting pitchers originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Despite having Tarik Skubal as their ace, the Detroit Tigers could use another dominant arm for the 2026 season. They are expected to be major players for one of the top starting pitchers on the open market over the winter.
As it sits, Detroit could roll out Skubal, Jack Flaherty, Casey Mize, and Reese Olson, but has a clear need for a fifth starter. They could also use another pitcher they can depend on, as Flaherty and Mize had their fits of inconsistency in 2025.
Another consistent starter would bring the club that much closer to their World Series aspirations. And they have already been seen testing out the market during the GM Meetings.
The starting pitching market is strong this offseason. There are plenty of big-time pitchers looking for a new opportunity for the 2026 season and beyond.
Framber Valdez will lead the way, but Dylan Cease, Michael King, Ranger Suarez, Zac Gallen, and Tatsuya Imai should also generate a ton of interest.
According to The Athletic’s Jim Bowden, Detroit is one of the handful of teams looking to position themselves well next year by signing one of these top arms.
“The starting pitching market has a lot of teams looking at the top free agents, with the Braves, Mets, Padres, Giants, Orioles, Red Sox, Tigers, Astros, Yankees and Angels leading the way.”
Bowden went on to explain that Valdez was actually in attendance during the GM Meetings to meet with potential interested teams. But there is no indication that Valdez spoke with anyone on the Detroit side, but fans can only hope.
Valdez would be an excellent addition to the club. He has years of postseason experience, and as a groundball pitcher, his style would fit well at Comerica Park.