The Detroit Tigers brought a familiar face back into the bullpen mix on Tuesday night, re-signing veteran reliever Kyle Finnegan to a two-year, $19 million contract, a person familiar with the agreement told the Free Press. The deal can reach $20 million with incentives and is pending a physical.
It’s a reunion that comes at a perfect time for Scott Harris and the Tigers’ front office. Detroit has spent much of the offseason looking for stability late in games, and Finnegan, who finished the 2025 season with Detroit after a trade deadline acquisition, proved quickly that he could be part of the long-term solution.
Finnegan, 34, posted a 1.50 ERA, 0.722 WHIP, and 4 saves in 16 appearances with the Tigers last season, looking noticeably sharper than he did earlier in the year with Washington. For the season as a whole, he logged 24 total saves, continuing a steady six-year track record as one of the more reliable late-inning arms in baseball.
Detroit values two things in its bullpen: swing-and-miss, and guys who don’t blink when the lights get bright. Finnegan fits both categories. He struck out 55 batters in 57 innings last year and has now compiled 343 career strikeouts with a 3.55 ERA since his 2020 debut.
The Tigers still have work to do at the Winter Meetings, but Tuesday’s move checks off a major box. Detroit now has a veteran anchor in the bullpen heading into 2026, and if Finnegan pitches the way he did last September, this could be one of Harris’ most valuable signings of the offseason.
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