The Detroit Tigers quietly added some experienced depth to their bullpen on Tuesday, agreeing to a minor league contract with right-handed reliever Phil Bickford.
The move doesn’t make headlines like a blockbuster free-agent signing, but it’s the kind of under-the-radar addition that can pay off over a long season.
Bickford, 30, is a former first-round pick who has logged time with the Brewers, Dodgers, Mets, and Yankees. While his career has been a bit of a roller coaster, he brings legitimate big-league experience and strikeout ability to an organization that is always looking for reliable arms to cycle through the bullpen.
Over parts of five MLB seasons, Bickford has appeared in 187 games, posting a 4.62 ERA with 210 strikeouts in 189 innings. His best stretch came in 2021 with the Dodgers, when he posted a 2.81 ERA and became a dependable middle-relief option on a playoff-caliber team.
The Tigers are clearly betting that, with the right role and some mechanical tweaks, Bickford can rediscover that form. At worst, he gives Detroit a veteran arm to stash at Triple-A who can be called up when injuries or workload issues inevitably hit. At best, he becomes a sneaky bullpen weapon who forces his way into late-inning conversations.
It’s another example of the Tigers quietly stockpiling pitching depth, the kind of move that doesn’t grab attention in January, but could matter a lot in August.
