Tigers Move On From Kenley Jansen and Confront Unsettled Closer Plan
Freeing salary, the Tigers now must choose between signing an established ninth-inning arm or pursuing lower-cost multi-year bullpen solutions.
Overview
- Detroit declined Kenley Jansen’s $12 million option and paid a $2 million buyout, formally ending his one-year tenure with the team.
- The Tigers finished 2026 with 32 blown saves, leaving the club without an obvious 30-plus-save reliever on the 40-man roster.
- Options under discussion include high-end free agents such as Raisel Iglesias, Pete Fairbanks, and Emilio Pagán who could step into a traditional closer role.
- Alex Vesia is being pitched as an intriguing fit because of his 2026 strikeout profile and potential for a two- to three-year deal, but there are no confirmed reports that Detroit is actively pursuing him.
- Organizational limits — last winter’s investment in Jansen, a possible labor dispute, and A.J. Hinch’s flexible use of late-inning arms — make an expensive single-asset signing less certain and increase the appeal of internal or mid-market solutions.