Three questions facing the Detroit Tigers this offseason

A season that began with promise ended in disappointment for the Detroit Tigers.

The Tigers had a 59-34 record on July 8, the best record in the majors, and held a 14-game lead in the AL Central. That lead shrank to 11 games at the All-Star break, but the Tigers still appeared to have the division in hand. Instead, the Tigers went 28-37 in the second half, with a white-hot Guardians team claiming the division as Detroit barely made the playoffs. Although the Tigers pushed the Mariners to five games in the ALDS, far more was expected.

The Tigers enter the offseason with more questions than answers. Second-half slumps throughout the roster have led to questions about the core. Trade-deadline acquisitions failed. And then there is Tarik Skubal... 

Let's look at three questions facing the Tigers this offseason.

Three questions for the Detroit Tigers heading into the offseason

1. Should the Tigers cash in Tarik Skubal to supplement the roster?

Skubal is arguably the best starting pitcher in the American League. The prohibitive favorite to win the AL Cy Young award for the second consecutive season, Skubal posted a league-leading 2.21 ERA and a 0.891 WHiP over 195.1 innings, striking out 241 batters with 33 walks. He is slated to become a free agent after the 2026 season, making an extension a priority.

Such a deal may not happen. Jon Heyman of the New York Post speculated that Skubal may be looking for more than $400M in a new contract. Meanwhile, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reported that the Tigers' offer to Skubal following the 2024 season was for four years and less than $100M. With the two sides potentially as much as $300M apart, and with Scott Boras representing Skubal, the odds of an extension appear minimal. The Tigers may need to trade Skubal; otherwise, they will be left with a compensation pick after he departs in free agency.

2. What should the Tigers do with Trey Sweeney and Jace Jung?

Jung and Sweeney were expected to be key parts of the Tigers' lineup going forward. That has not happened. Although Sweeney's defense is major league caliber, he has produced a disappointing .202/.261/.313 batting line with 10 homers and 11 doubles in 445 plate appearances over parts of two seasons. Jung has been even worse, albeit in a smaller sample size, as he has posted a .190/.315/.230 batting line with five doubles over 149 major league plate appearances.

Both players may be running out of time. Tigers top prospect Kevin McGonigle reached Double-A in 2025 as he posted a .305/.408/.583 batting line with 19 homers and 31 doubles in 397 plate appearances across three levels. The 21-year-old shortstop is expected to debut some time in 2026. Utility man Zach McKinstry took over as the Tigers' primary third baseman and was named to the All-Star Game. The Tigers may have an opening at second base, but Sweeney and Jung are running out of time to prove they are major league caliber players.

3. Can the Tigers recapture their bullpen magic?

The Tigers have leaned hard on their bullpen over the past two seasons as their 1,316 relief innings are the most in the majors. That strategy had worked before the second half of 2025 when the workload caught up to the relief corps. However, as Skubal was the only pitcher to consistently go deep into starts, the Tigers did not have any choice.

If that is going to continue, the Tigers will need to revamp the bullpen. Will Vest and Brant Hurter were solid options but are best utilized in a setup role. Former Washington Nationals closer Kyle Finnegan was the one pitching acquisition at the trade deadline who panned out and is interested in returning to Detroit. Prospect Dylan Smith may be an X-factor in the bullpen — his plus fastball and slider have played up in relief, and his 12.9 K/9 rate in the minors in 2025 show that he could be an option in the latter innings.