Gold is World Series Winner
Silver WS runner up
Red/Blue AL/NL Runner up.
Tigers have 4 appearances in the final 4. Since 2004z
Hard to see but its the Orange “D” but they are in that sweet spot. Between 100-150% of the average and 50-100% of the Tax Cap. Where the vast majority of teams are.
But for the last 10+ years the tigers have been in that bottom area. Under 100% average under 60% of the cap.
Just doing digging. Just keeping the Arb contracts they have. Tigers are currently sitting around $100-120m for 2026.
To get into that sweet spot they need to be around $210-250m the tax cap is going to be OVER $250m for 2026.
Im not asking for them to get into that top Red Tier (yankies and dodgers) or even in the yellow (over the tax limit)
Jut get to a competitive level! That green box is the sweet spot!
So Tigers easily have $100m to spend for 2026. GET IT DONE. This hitting lineup is an absolute joke. Might be one of the worst hitting I’ve ever seen in the playoffs.
So of the current active players and the ones still in the minors expected up in ‘26 or ‘27, who are you putting on the bench, getting rid of, or blocking from advancement?
It’s really the first time, including last season, where the Tigers have a reason to spend. They made a significant offer to Bregman who chose the Red Sox over them.
Position players I keep:
C; Dingler
2nd Keith/McG
SS McG
3rd: FA Anderson Keith
RF Greene
CF Meadows or Clark, doubt FA signs with Clark a year away at most
RF Carp
That is it for position starters. I don’t really want Meadows but I’m not positive Clark will be ready next Spring and I doubt a FA signs in that case.
SP:
Skubal
Mize
Olson
Melton
Flaherty
Jobe
Most of the above are still in their arbitration years with exception being Skubal of course who is but needs to be addressed. I doubt Flaherty opts out.
I’m not sold on Tork or any of the bench 4A players. Bregman is still preferred choice provided he opts out and they can sign him. Preferably want another bat as well I just don’t know if Tigers will offer long term deals at spots where they have legitimate bats coming up.
Right………and that breakout kind of shows the tough behind the scenes decisions that management is having to work with. Folks are talking about whole sale changes and throwing an extra $50+ mil at the payroll to acquire those changes.
OK, if you feel that way great, but where, who, and what position?
I see 3rd base and DH as positions that could be targeted. Everything else seems to be set with either current players or players coming through the system already.
Baez finished with a sub .700 OPS at .680 ( Parker at.620 was the worst but it was a lost season for him injury-wise)
You can have a couple D first guys like that, but you need a high 800s guy to offset them just to get to level. Personally I dont want 2. Also, McKinstry is an at best .650 guy for 5 years up up until this year. I trust Tork to repeat far more than McKinstry.
Fix without big spend?
Skub for McLean and Benge plus 2 filler prospects who take the place of
Hamm Anderson Schiefelbein for Brent Rooker /Austin Riley etc…some late 20s 30 HR corner /dh RH bat.
This goes without saying but whatever bats we get need to be good OBP guys that command the strike zone and don’t really slump. Preferably RHBs. Of course those guys are very expensive, but we have money to spend.
Also, goes without saying. If you want to spend $40M+ on one player for whatever reason, here’s your guy.
I expect big markets to go after him for obvious reasons, but I’m thinking I would much rather pay a potential .900 OPS bat than pay Skubal. I’d argue we win just as many games.
I would take every single one of those guys and another bullpen arm to boot. Maybe a mid level hard throwing guy that can get us out of a jam in the middle innings.
If we are unwilling to trade good prospects at the deadline (which I’m happy that we don’t trade them) then we have to spend the money in the off-season to fix the problems.
Gotta either make decent trades OR spend the money. Theres no other route.
Especially since none of the prospects have become anything more than above average Outside of Skubal.
This team has had a subpar payroll since 2018. Spend the money and help this team.
But i currently have zero faith that
They make a big trade
Any of the prospects become more than above average
They actually spend money
Why? Because i have 8 years of data to back it up.
They will say “oh we gotta wait till McGonigal and Lirenzo are ready” then it will be “wait for Clark” then “wait for Briceno and Rainer”
It will never end. Either prove me wrong or prove me right. Winter will let me know everything
NO MORE Alex Cobb / Tommy Kahnle / Chris Paddack / Charlie Morton / Rafael Montero / Paul Sewald / Jose Urquidy type spending!!!
We are wasting almost $40M on those guys this season.
No more ■■■■■■■ pitching projects. Call someone up from the minors. I’d much rather see Chase Lee and Dylan Smith get hit around and learn how to throw at the MLB level than see us spend $7M on another Kahnle or Montero.
I agree but pretty wild they are 1 win away from playing a 7 game series to go the World Series with all that wasted money. Don’t forget they have been paying Kenta Maeda about 12 mill this year to watch TV
