Detroit eyes veteran arms Bassitt and Giolito for rotation stability, adding proven experience to a developing pitching staff.
The Detroit Tigers appear to have a fairly clear focus this offseason, and while it may feel narrow, it is not without logic. The front office continues to prioritize pitching depth, particularly at the back end of the rotation. According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Tigers have expressed interest in Chris Bassitt and Lucas Giolito, two veteran starters who could provide stability and innings as Detroit looks to solidify its pitching staff heading into 2026.
Chris Bassitt: durability and consistency
Bassitt’s appeal to Detroit is straightforward: reliability. Over the last three seasons, Bassitt has consistently taken the ball and worked deep into games, averaging roughly 30 starts and 180+ innings per year. In 2025, he logged 170 innings with an ERA hovering around of 3.96 with K rate of 8.4.
While Bassitt does not overwhelm hitters with velocity, his success comes from sequencing and command. He routinely deploys five or more pitches, keeps hitters guessing, and avoids the kind of elevated pitch counts that shorten outings. His home run rate has remained manageable, and his ability to induce weak contact would play well in Comerica Park’s expansive outfield.
From an organizational standpoint, Bassitt would serve as a buffer between Detroit’s established starters and showing patience with arms like Reese Olson, Sawyer Gipson-Long, and Keider Montero, of the three so far, Montero has been the only one that has been somewhat healthy. Rather than forcing younger pitchers into heavy workloads, Bassitt’s presence would allow the Tigers to manage innings and roles more deliberately across the season.
Lucas Giolito is a rebound candidate with strikeout upside
Giolito’s 2025 season was arguably more intriguing from a projection standpoint. After missing the entire 2024 campaign due to elbow surgery, he returned and posted a 10–4 record with a 3.41 ERA, 121 strikeouts, and a 1.29 WHIP across 26 starts and 145 innings.
These numbers show a pitcher who, when healthy, can operate effectively in a rotation. While his strikeout rate wasn’t elite, it was solid, and his ERA — top-half of the league — suggests competent run prevention. Advanced metrics indicate that Giolito’s hard-hit and exit-velocity profiles were middling rather than elite, but overall results were positive in a season where many expected regression.
Giolito’s value to Detroit would come from his upside potential in the backend. If the Tigers can harness his strikeout ability and pitch-to-contact balance, he could provide quality innings and help stabilize starts when internal options need time or adjustment.
How this fits Detroit’s pitching pipeline
Detroit’s internal pitching depth is real, but unevenly distributed. The organization has arms with upside, but few proven inning-eaters beyond the top of the rotation. Adding veterans like Bassitt or Giolito would allow the Tigers to avoid overextending younger pitchers while maintaining competitive consistency over a 162-game season. Plus, the Tigers starting depth at the moment in Triple-A and Double-A is a bit thin at the moment.
Neither move would block long-term development. Instead, these additions would function as stabilizers — absorbing innings, protecting the bullpen, and giving Detroit flexibility if injuries or performance fluctuations arise. In that context, targeting the backend of the rotation is less about settling and more about creating structure for a pitching staff still very much in transition.
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