The Detroit Tigers‘ 2026 season came to an end over the weekend, and it was simply a bad campaign for the AL Central club.
After entering the season with high expectations, the Tigers finished with an underwhelming 76-86 record. Now, the Tigers are entering an important offseason and will be looking to strengthen their roster.
One area that the Tigers should look to improve this offseason is their infield depth. Due to this, they are now being connected to an intriguing pending unrestricted free agent.
In a recent article for FanSided, Jake Elman named the Tigers as the best fit for former NL Rookie of the Year Jonathan India.
“Detroit cannot offer Gleyber Torres the qualifying offer for a second straight year, so the Tigers might need a new starting second baseman,” Elman wrote. “India has almost exclusively played there or manned the DH spot in his six seasons. This sure sounds like a match to us.”
With the Tigers needing more infield depth, there would be no harm in them buying low on an intriguing player like India on a short-term deal.
Looking at Jonathan India
India was limited to only 17 games with the Kansas City Royals this season due to injury. During them, he recorded two home runs, eight RBI, and a .167 batting average. This was after he had nine home runs, 45 RBI, and a .233 batting average in 136 games during the 2025 season with the Royals.
India’s 2026 season came to an end in April after he underwent left shoulder surgery to repair a labrum injury. Due to this and his quiet 2026 season, he is unlikely to command a ton of money in free agency this. Thus, he could be worth taking a flier on with a one-year prove-it deal for the Tigers.
India Would Be Interesting Bounce-Back Candidate for Tigers to Add
While India is coming off back-to-back quiet seasons, he would be an interesting bounce-back candidate for Detroit to sign. Just back in 2024 with the Cincinnati Reds, he had 15 home runs, 58 RBI, and a .248 batting average. He also memorably had a strong rookie year in 2021, posting 21 home runs, 69 RBI, and a .269 batting average in 150 games.
While India has had trouble replicating his rookie year, perhaps he could get closer to that form on a team like the Tigers. Sometimes a change of scenery benefits a player, and he could perform well on a team looking to bounce back like Detroit.
It will be intriguing to see if the Tigers end up making a push for India this offseason. He could be a nice pickup for a Detroit club looking to prove that this season was a fluke.
Detroit Tigers Predicted to Sign Former Rookie of the Year in Intriguing Move