Jul 30, 2021; Detroit, Michigan, USA; The hat and glove of Detroit Tigers right fielder Robbie Grossman (8) sits on the ledge of the dugout during the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Comerica Park. Raj Mehta-Imagn Images

Tigers Should Have Addressed This Critical Area This Offseason

Originally posted on Detroit Tigers on SI
By Nick Ziegler | Last updated Feb 14, 2026 12:00 PM ET

With pitchers and catchers reporting for the Detroit Tigers, there is a noticeable buzz for the team coming into the year. For a team that has now made the playoffs two straight years, expectations are high.

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It was an interesting offseason for the Tigers. For most of the winter, the team didn’t do much to improve, and there was constant speculation surrounding what they might do with Tarik Skubal. With their ace entering the final year of his contract, trading him has to be on the table.

The star southpaw is likely going to be resetting the market for pitchers in free agency, and whether or not Detroit will be able to sign him remains to be seen. However, a recent decision to sign Framber Valdez not only helps the team improve in 2026 but also gives them some insurance in case they lose their star as well. While the addition of Valdez improves the rotation, this is a team that still has a need in another area.

Bradford Doolittle of ESPN recently wrote about a potential regret for the Tigers this offseason, not adding an impact bat.

Detroit Should Have Spent on a Slugger

For the second straight offseason, third baseman Alex Bregman was available for the Tigers to pursue in free agency. Like last winter, he was a great fit for the team, and that didn’t change this offseason. However, Detroit was unable to get a deal done with a player who would have been a perfect fit once again.

In the first half of the 2025 campaign, the offense for the Tigers was surprisingly good. They had a plethora of sluggers make the All-Star team, but there was some serious regression to the mean in the second half.

Adding a bat certainly feels like a need for the team as of now, and options are going to be limited until the trade deadline, more than likely. Due to the contract situation surrounding Skubal, going all-in this season makes sense for the team. While Valdez helps in that department, the offense could use one more bat.

While the American League Central should be running through Detroit this year, the rest of the AL is really strong as well. For two straight seasons, they have lost in Game 5 of the ALDS, and that is a streak they would like to snap. As of now, it certainly feels like the team should have added an impact bat to solidify the unit.

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