Tigers’ surprise breakout star behind Tarik Skubal

The Detroit Tigers have yet to play their best baseball in 2026, but the team is still in second place in the American League Central standings. Ace Tarik Skubal is having another strong season, but the Tigers have had other players step up as well.

Offensively, Kerry Carpenter currently leads the team with six home runs. Meanwhile, Riley Greene is playing well, as he is hitting .288 to go along with an .860 OPS and four long balls.

The starting rotation has other reliable pitchers aside from Skubal as well. Framber Valdez has pitched well for the most part to begin his Tigers career.

The Tigers’ success has been a complete team effort. While they would like to find more consistency overall, Detroit’s outlook is bright. However, the Tigers would not be where they are without one specific player. Right-handed pitcher Kyle Finnegan has been one of the best relievers in the sport to begin the new campaign.

Kyle Finnegan having big season with Tigers

Finnegan, 34, is a veteran reliever with a proven track record. He pitched for the Washington Nationals from 2020-2025 before joining the Tigers during the ’25 campaign. He has been a reliable relief pitcher throughout his career, as Finnegan holds a career ERA of 3.43. In fact, he even made an All-Star team in 2024 with the Nationals.

With Washington, Finnegan spent multiple seasons as the team’s closer. In the 2024 season, he had 38 saves while pitching to a 3.68 ERA.

So, how is it that a former All-Star and reliable pitcher can be a breakout star in 2026? Well, at 34 years old, it seems as if Finnegan has taken a big step forward. He now looks like one of the best pitchers in the sport.

Through 14 2026 appearances, the Tigers’ right-hander has pitched to a stellar 0.61 ERA. Finnegan has also struck out 11 hitters in his 14.2 innings of work. He has walked 10 hitters, but Finnegan is good enough to limit the damage.

Finnegan is not closing games for Detroit so his performance has been overlooked at times. Closers often receive the most attention out of the bullpen. The Tigers understand how valuable Finnegan has been to their success, though. They also know how important he will be moving forward as the ’26 season continues.

Tigers’ pitching

Detroit has the best starting pitcher in baseball in Tarik Skubal and one of the best relievers in the game in Kyle Finnegan. So, is their entire pitching staff also among the best in MLB?

Detroit is 12th in team ERA with a mark of 4.01. The Tigers are also 10th in runs allowed, 17th in strikeouts, 17th in WHIP and 14th in opponents’ batting average.

In other words, the Tigers’ pitching is not elite but it is fairly reliable. Skubal and Finnegan have played crucial roles in helping to keep the pitching numbers from falling too low in the MLB rankings.

Detroit would benefit from acquiring another pitcher or two at the trade deadline. With Skubal in the starting rotation and Finnegan in the bullpen, though, the Tigers are surely confident in the pitching’s overall outlook. Skubal will understandably continue to receive no shortage of attention, but Finnegan’s performance should not be overlooked.

The Detroit Tigers are a better baseball team with Kyle Finnegan in the bullpen.