After a tumultuous 2025 season, all eyes in MLB are on Kyle Finnegan—the pitcher who gave the Detroit Tigers their bullpen hope—as he enters free agency, and Detroit is working hard to keep him.
Finnegan, 34, became a free agent in early November after the end of the 2025 season. But just hours later, he made his desire clear: to return to Detroit. “I’ve loved every minute of it,” he said emotionally after the Tigers were eliminated from the postseason. “Hopefully it’s a two-way street.”
Finnegan himself has proven—once in the right place—that he’s more than just a regular pitcher. After being traded from the Nationals to the Tigers on July 31, he immediately transformed: his ERA plummeted, his strikeout rate skyrocketed. In 16 appearances for Detroit, Finnegan has a 1.50 ERA — enough to make Tigers management take a bow.
2025 season: 57 innings total, 24 saves in 31 chances — an impressive record that any team would want to keep.
According to inside sources, the Tigers have made it clear that the bullpen is a top priority this off-season. After losing several key relievers, they need a pitcher with experience and consistent performance — and Finnegan is the number one candidate.
Detroit management is ready to respond with a short-term but lucrative contract: expected to be 1–2 years, worth around $20 million — suitable to keep Finnegan if he agrees to stick around.
“We want Kyle back — he knows how to adapt, he knows how to lead, and most importantly, he knows how to keep the bullpen standing,” the general manager said.
Finnegan isn’t short on options, though. With a swing-and-miss profile that has improved dramatically since switching his pitch mix — more splitter, less fastball — he’s on the radar of several high-profile reliever teams in MLB. Many experts predict he’ll get at least one big offer if he hits the open market.
For the Tigers, it’s a tough race: if they want to keep Finnegan, they’ll have to not only have the money, but also the conviction — that he’ll be used in the right role in Detroit, and have a real shot at competing.
If Detroit can keep Finnegan, they can keep the bullpen stable — a key to any playoff push. With Finnegan at his best, the Tigers will have a reliable closer, a late-game weapon capable of holding the advantage.
As for Finnegan himself — a return to Detroit could be a major coup: job security, a leading role, and a chance to win another title with the team.
Detroit is in the driver’s seat, but nothing is certain. Kyle Finnegan, whose career has been resurrected amid the storm, could decide to stay or take one last swing in free agency. One thing is for sure: the winter of 2025–2026 will be even more explosive — and the Tigers could be on the cusp of a major turnaround.
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