Apr 18, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers pitcher Tommy Kahnle (43) throws during the ninth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park. Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images

MLB Insider Picks Detroit Tigers Among Best Benefactors of Massive Offseason Moves

Originally posted on Detroit Tigers on SI
By Anders Pryor | Last updated Jun 7, 2025 4:00 PM ET

The Detroit Tigers have the best record in all of baseball at 41-23 and aren't showing any signs of slowing down. When they made their late-season surge to squeak into the postseason last year, it was a balanced effort that was not dependent on any significant star power.

Nearly all of the key pieces from last year's run - Riley, Greene, Tarik Skubal, Kerry Carpenter - are still on the team and are contributing at an elite level. But the Tigers added players in the offseason that have taken the ball club from a frisky, under-the-radar pick to win the American League Central to many fans' pick to go to the World Series.

MLB.com's Thomas Harrigan identified teams that have gotten the most from their offseason acquisitions in a list Friday morning. Detroit made the cut for shroud yet effective that adding productive players to an already proven infrastructure.

Gleyber Torres came over to the Tigers on a one-year, $15 million "prove-it" deal after over a half-decade of ups and downs with the New York Yankees. He's slashing .264/.379/.396 with nine doubles, five home runs, and as Harrigan emphasis, more walks (32) than strikeouts (26).

Jack Flaherty has been welcomed back with open arms after Detroit traded him to the Los Angeles Dodgers at last year's deadline. After a shaky patch in late April and early May, he has centered himself nicely with a 3.72 ERA and 1.09 WHIP.

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Tommy Kahnle also came over from the Yankees and has paired with Will Vest in a co-closer tandem that has worked well to this point. He had a 1.30 ERA and 0.76 WHIP with eight saves on the season.

what can't Tommy Kahnle do? pic.twitter.com/pKGbaHGJKW
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) June 5, 2025

Combined with major improvements from key young players like Spencer Torkelson and Colt Keith, the Tigers' additions have put their new team into a new gear. They'll have arguably their biggest test of the year as they set to take on the electric offense of the Chicago Cubs.

This article first appeared on Detroit Tigers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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