Hold on to your hats, Tigers fans! The Detroit Tigers are doubling down on a key player, and it could signal big things for their bullpen. They're bringing back relief pitcher Kyle Finnegan, and here's why it matters.
Word out of Orlando, Florida, is that the Tigers and Finnegan have agreed to a two-year deal worth a cool $19 million. Sources confirmed the agreement late Tuesday night to The Detroit News, solidifying Finnegan's place back in the Motor City. This is a significant investment, showing the Tigers are serious about strengthening their late-inning pitching.
Finnegan, now 34, joined the Tigers mid-season last year via trade and quickly became a reliable force alongside Will Vest in the later innings. In just 18 regular-season innings, he racked up three wins and four saves, boasting an impressive 0.722 WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched – a key stat for measuring a pitcher's effectiveness). Essentially, he was consistently keeping runners off base.
Now, the return of Finnegan wasn't exactly a bolt from the blue. After the Tigers' heartbreaking 15-inning loss in Game 5 of the ALDS in Seattle, Finnegan himself hinted at a possible reunion. "I loved every second of my time here," he said. "Hopefully, the feeling is mutual. I'll head into free agency and see what that has in store for me, but I can't say enough good things about the Tigers."
And it seems the feeling was mutual! Tigers' General Manager Jeff Greenberg echoed Finnegan's sentiments during the General Manager's meetings in Las Vegas last month. "We loved having Kyle," Greenberg told reporters. "He deserves all of the credit in the world for being as open-minded as he was to making those adjustments and embracing the roles that we put him in and his impact in the clubhouse. For all of those reasons, we have interest in bringing him back."
But here's where it gets interesting... The Tigers specifically worked with Finnegan to refine his pitching strategy. They encouraged him to rely less on his fastball (even though it's high-octane!) and focus more on his splitter. And the results were undeniable. With the Nationals, Finnegan had a 4.37 ERA (earned run average – lower is better) and a 19.6% strikeout rate. But after the adjustment and in his short stint with the Tigers? His ERA plummeted to 1.50, and his strikeout rate soared to 34.8%!
And this is the part most people miss... The swing-and-miss rate on his splitter in August and September was over 50%! That means more than half the time batters swung at it, they missed. That's a devastating pitch!
The signing of Finnegan is expected to be just the first of several bullpen moves the Tigers make this offseason. They are clearly looking to bolster their pitching depth for the long haul. "We would like to add to our pen," Greenberg said at the Winter Meetings. "And there are a lot of ways to approach that. It’s more about finding the right fit based on the performance and the attributes we’re looking for. Obviously we’d like to add more swing and miss but that can come in a variety of shapes and forms. And that can come through free agency, trades, the waiver wire or minor league free agents."
As it stands, Finnegan, Vest, and Tyler Holton seem like the only relievers who are almost guaranteed a spot in the bullpen when spring training rolls around. Brenan Hanifee and Brant Hurter will be fighting to keep their roles, along with Beau Brieske, who is looking to bounce back after an injury-filled season. This creates a healthy competition, which is crucial for a winning team.
Controversy & Comment Hook: This move raises a key question: Is Finnegan worth the $19 million price tag? Some might argue that it's a hefty sum for a reliever, especially considering his relatively short track record with the Tigers. Others will point to his improved performance after the pitching adjustments and his potential to be a dominant late-inning option. What do you think? Is this a smart investment for the Tigers, or are they overpaying? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
