More relief pitching is on the way for the Detroit Tigers.
The team reportedly signed Kenley Jansen to a one-year, $11 million contract pending a physical, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. The contract includes a club option.
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Jansen, 38, played for the Los Angeles Angels last season. His 29 saves were tied for ninth in MLB. He is the second reliever the Tigers have signed this offseason, after the Tigers re-signed Kyle Finnegan to a two-year deal at the winter meetings.
The Tigers acquired Finnegan from the Washington Nationals at last season’s trade deadline. The 34-year-old Detroit native posted a 1.50 ERA and 0.72 WHIP with four saves over 16 games for the Tigers.
The Tigers also traded rookie right-handed reliever Chase Lee to the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday. This move helped clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Finnegan. Lee, 27, had a 4.10 ERA, 36 strikeouts and a 4–1 record in 2025. The Tigers received 24-year-old left-hander Johan Simon from the Blue Jays in exchange for Lee.
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After a hot start to the season, the Tigers finished 87–75 and narrowly avoided a second-half collapse before losing to the Seattle Mariners in the ALDS.
While adding to the bullpen will certainly help the Tigers, the future of Tarik Skubal looms over the franchise. The AL’s back-to-back Cy Young winner finished the season with a 13-6 record in 31 starts, posting a 2.21 ERA with 241 strikeouts and ranking second in Major League Baseball in both categories.
With the 29-year-old’s deal set to expire after the 2026 season, trade speculation has surrounded the ace. Nearly every contender has been, or will be, linked to Skubal this winter.
