The Detroit Tigers have several decisions to make this offseason, but one area of the roster should receive immediate attention. After watching late leads disappear throughout 2026, the Tigers cannot enter another season expecting the same bullpen construction to produce significantly different results.

Detroit's relief corps was a recurring source of frustration during a season in which the club finished below .500 and missed the postseason. The Tigers lost 18 games in which they held a lead after six innings, a particularly damaging figure for a team that remained competitive in several other statistical categories. The lack of swing and miss guys played a huge role. 

There is a temptation to look at those numbers and conclude that the Tigers simply need a closer. David Bednar, one of the more established relievers available in free agency, would certainly provide an interesting option, but fixing Detroit's bullpen requires a more comprehensive approach.

The Tigers need additional pitchers who can consistently miss bats, limit walks and handle high-leverage situations without relying on favorable batted-ball outcomes. Those qualities become particularly important when considering how manager A.J. Hinch deploys his relievers.

Kenley Jansen's contract situation remains one of the organization's first major decisions. Detroit holds a $12 million club option for 2027, with a $2 million buyout. Exercising that option would bring back an accomplished veteran who is two saves away from reaching 500 for his career, but the Tigers must determine whether Jansen is still the appropriate answer in the ninth inning.

Declining his option would create additional flexibility, although it would also require Detroit to replace an experienced late-inning pitcher in a free-agent market that lacks the same depth as last winter.

Bednar presents perhaps the most recognizable alternative. The former Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Yankees reliever has experience handling the ninth inning and has demonstrated the ability to pitch in pressure situations. Detroit reportedly had interest in Bednar when he was available through trade, but the prospect cost was more than the organization wanted to surrender.

Free agency removes the prospect cost from the equation, leaving salary and contract length as the primary considerations.

However, the Tigers should also examine pitchers who could provide value in the seventh and eighth innings.

Adrián Morejón is one of the more intriguing names on the market. The San Diego Padres left-hander finished 2026 with a 2.83 ERA and 107 strikeouts in 86 innings. That works out to approximately 11.2 strikeouts per nine innings, an attractive figure for a Detroit bullpen seeking more reliable swing-and-miss options.

Morejón's ability to retire hitters from both sides of the plate would also offer Hinch flexibility. Rather than being limited to traditional left-on-left matchups, the Tigers could potentially use him in situations where the heart of an opposing lineup is due up, regardless of the inning.

Bryan Abreu represents another interesting candidate. The Houston Astros right-hander has experience working in high-leverage situations and could give Detroit an established setup option without necessarily requiring the team to designate him as its closer.

Vest's recovery will be an important development to monitor after he underwent hip surgery and a procedure to address a stress fracture near his elbow. Tyler Holton remains an established piece of the pitching staff, while Drew Sommers provides another left-handed option who could earn a larger role.

The organization also has several younger arms capable of competing for bullpen opportunities, although relying too heavily on inexperienced pitchers would introduce additional uncertainty.

An ideal offseason would include at least two meaningful relief additions, preferably pitchers with complementary repertoires. One should be capable of handling ninth-inning situations, while the other should provide a dependable option against difficult sections of opposing lineups.

The Tigers should also examine their pitching development and usage patterns. A reliever's effectiveness can change considerably depending on how frequently he works, the matchups he faces and whether he is asked to pitch outside his most effective role.

There is enough young pitching talent in Detroit's organization to build a competitive staff, but the bullpen cannot remain an afterthought while the front office concentrates on starting pitching and offensive upgrades.

The Tigers have already demonstrated that they can develop pitchers and identify undervalued arms. Their next challenge is assembling a relief corps capable of protecting the leads their offense creates.

If Harris wants Detroit to return to the postseason in 2027, the bullpen must be treated as a priority rather than a collection of pitchers expected to figure things out during the season.