The Detroit Tigers ended up missing the playoffs this past season, with the team undergoing a fire sale at the trade deadline.
After trading away ace left-hander Tarik Skubal, the Tigers went into tank mode for the remainder of the season. Now, the team has some work to do to rebuild back into the contenders that they were two years ago.
As the Tigers enter the offseason, one area of concern has to be within the starting rotation, and the front office will have to address this. The Tigers want to get back to the playoffs as early as 2027, and one way to make that happen could be to bolster the unit this offseason.
Tigers Linked to Two-Time All-Star
In a new article from MLB analyst Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report, the Tigers are mentioned as a top landing spot for free agent right-hander Freddy Peralta. Peralta split time between the New York Mets and Tampa Bay Rays this past season, with him putting together a special run late in the year.
Other than Skubal, Peralta may be the best pitcher available on the open market, and the Tigers could use him. The right-hander seemed to find some spark while with the Rays, and he could bring that over to Detroit with him.
“Is this starting rotation potent/experienced enough, though? With any luck, Valdez will be better in his second season with the Tigers, but Montero as the possible No. 2 arm with a career ERA of 4.08 isn’t particularly reassuring. Yet, he has more MLB experience (344.0 IP) than Melton, Jobe and Ryan combined (283.2 IP).
“Such is life when you lose all of Skubal, Casey Mize, Jack Flaherty and Justin Verlander from your previous Opening Day rotation. Adding Freddy Peralta to serve as co-ace to Valdez could be the answer. Detroit ended 2026 with an estimated tax payroll of $234M, but they are nowhere close to that threshold for next year with only two players (Valdez and Javier Báez) slated for serious earnings. They could sign Peralta and still end up well below their 2026 Opening Day payroll,” Miller wrote.
Should the Tigers Consider This Move?
After a disastrous start with the Mets this season, Peralta seemed to turn his season around after being traded. With New York, the right-hander posted a 4.99 ERA over 22 starts, looking like a complete shell of himself.
But in Tampa Bay, Peralta was able to get back to being the pitcher that everyone knows, posting a 3.25 ERA in 10 starts. The right-hander went 11-3 over 14 total starts for the Rays, including in the postseason.
Peralta helped the Rays make the World Series, and he could bring this type of production to the Tigers if signed. Detroit has to add to its starting rotation after last season, and the veteran right-hander could be the ace of the team going forward.
Combining him with Valdez could offer Detroit a legitimate duo to work with for next season and beyond. This could see the Tigers get back to the playoffs as early as next season, which would make the signing well worth it for the franchise.
Tigers Predicted to Land Former All-Star in Blockbuster Offseason Move