The Detroit Tigers have plenty to figure out before Opening Day 2027, but one offseason priority is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. Scott Harris needs to find someone A.J. Hinch can trust when the Tigers carry a lead into the ninth inning.

Kenley Jansen was supposed to provide that stability in 2026, but his first season in Detroit turned into a roller-coaster ride rather than the dependable solution the Tigers envisioned. Jansen’s 2027 status is Detroit’s call rather than a formality: the Tigers hold a $12 million club option on him for 2027 with a $2 million buyout, which gives Harris a clean path to reset the back end of the bullpen rather than simply hoping for better results from the same formula.

Two intriguing names have already surfaced as potential fits for Detroit: David Bednar and Pete Fairbanks. Both have extensive experience closing games, but they would represent two very different approaches for Harris and the Tigers.

Tigers Could Be Searching for a New Closer

Detroit’s bullpen wasn’t solely responsible for a disappointing 2026 season, but late-inning instability certainly didn’t help. If the Tigers expect to return to contention next season, creating a more dependable path through the final six outs should be somewhere near the top of Harris’ offseason checklist.

MLB.com’s early examination of Detroit’s offseason needs identified Bednar and Fairbanks as two relievers the Tigers could target. Neither pitcher has been reported as an active Detroit pursuit at this stage, so they should be viewed as potential fits rather than confirmed Tigers targets.

The financial circumstances should give Harris room to maneuver if he decides to spend on the bullpen. Detroit could have nearly $115 million separating its roughly $200 million 2026 Opening Day payroll from its current guaranteed commitments for 2027, although arbitration salaries, options and other roster expenses will significantly reduce that difference.

That doesn’t mean Harris suddenly has $115 million sitting around to spend on free agents. It does mean Detroit should have enough flexibility to pursue an established late-inning reliever without sacrificing its ability to improve the lineup and address other areas of the roster.

David Bednar Looks Like the Proven Solution

If Harris wants the more straightforward answer, David Bednar is difficult to ignore. The veteran right-hander has spent years establishing himself as one of baseball’s more accomplished late-inning relievers.

Bednar has accumulated more than 140 saves during his Major League career while consistently handling high-leverage situations. More importantly for Detroit, he has demonstrated that he can handle the pressure that comes with entering games when one mistake can change the outcome.

His recent performance makes him considerably more than a recognizable name from the past. Bednar posted a 2.47 ERA with 35 saves across 64 appearances for the New York Yankees in 2026, strengthening his case for a significant contract if he reaches the open market.

There is also an interesting Detroit connection that makes Bednar worth watching. MLB.com’s report notes that the Tigers liked Bednar when he was previously available on the trade market, but the prospect price was higher than Detroit wanted to pay.

That obstacle could disappear if Bednar reaches free agency. Harris could pursue him with money rather than surrendering young talent from a farm system Detroit has worked hard to strengthen.

That distinction should matter to the Tigers this winter. Detroit’s prospect depth is becoming increasingly important as players such as Max Anderson, Zyhir Hope and Josue Briceño move closer to contributing at the Major League level.

Bednar Could Give A.J. Hinch Something He Needs

Bednar’s potential value wouldn’t simply be measured by his save total. A dependable ninth-inning option could make Hinch’s entire bullpen easier to manage.

Hinch prefers flexibility rather than rigidly assigning every reliever to one inning. That strategy becomes much easier when the manager knows he has at least one pitcher capable of consistently handling the most important outs at the end of games.

With an established closer available for the ninth inning, Hinch could deploy his other high-leverage arms according to matchups in the seventh and eighth. That could be especially valuable during stretches when Detroit’s starting rotation isn’t consistently working deep into games.

There is obviously no guarantee Bednar ends up in Detroit. Proven closers attract significant interest in free agency, and the Tigers would likely face competition if he reaches the market.

The fit, however, isn’t difficult to understand. Detroit needs late-inning stability, Bednar has repeatedly provided it, and the Tigers already have a history of evaluating him as a potential addition.

Pete Fairbanks Would Be a Very Different Gamble

Pete Fairbanks would represent a considerably different type of acquisition. At his best, Fairbanks has been a legitimate late-inning weapon capable of overpowering hitters with premium stuff.

Fairbanks spent seven seasons with Tampa Bay from 2019 through 2025 and developed into one of the Rays’ most recognizable bullpen arms. His combination of strikeout ability and closing experience made him an attractive option for teams searching for late-inning help.

Detroit has also been connected to Fairbanks before. The Tigers were linked to the veteran reliever during a previous search for bullpen help, making him a familiar name for Harris and Detroit’s front office.

The question now is whether the Tigers would still see the same pitcher they previously liked. Fairbanks’ recent performance and health history would require Detroit to conduct a much different evaluation than it would with Bednar.

Fairbanks Comes With Considerably More Risk

Fairbanks’ 2026 season was difficult, and there is no reason to pretend otherwise. After signing a one-year, $13 million contract with Miami, he posted a 6.31 ERA with 19 saves over 46 appearances, a steep drop from the 2.83 ERA and 27 saves he delivered for Tampa Bay in 2025. That creates legitimate questions about what kind of pitcher a team would be acquiring for 2027.

Injuries add another layer of uncertainty to the evaluation. Fairbanks dealt with right median nerve irritation that sent him to the injured list three times and ended his season in mid-September, making his health just as important as his traditional pitching numbers when teams evaluate him this winter.

There is still something intriguing beneath those concerns. Fairbanks still struck out 12.4 batters per nine innings in 2026, and his previous success in Tampa Bay provides evidence that the high-level version of this pitcher once existed.

Detroit would have to determine whether that version can return. If the Tigers believe his decline was primarily related to health or correctable mechanical issues, Fairbanks could become a classic buy-low candidate.

Tigers Have Built a Reputation for Fixing Pitchers

That possibility matters because Detroit has become an attractive destination for pitchers attempting to restore their value. The Tigers’ pitching-development operation has repeatedly helped veterans improve their performance or rediscover things that had disappeared elsewhere.

Jack Flaherty remains one of the clearest examples. Detroit signed him following an uneven 2023 season, helped him rediscover his form and eventually received both Major League production and trade value from the investment.

Michael Lorenzen represented another version of that strategy. The Tigers helped him become an All-Star before turning him into prospect Hao-Yu Lee at the trade deadline, demonstrating how a relatively modest pitching investment can produce multiple forms of value.

Fairbanks could fit that blueprint if Detroit’s pitching department believes there is something fixable. The velocity, strikeout ability and closing experience provide an intriguing starting point, but the Tigers would need confidence that his health and performance can rebound.

Bednar and Fairbanks Represent Two Different Tigers Strategies

That’s what makes these two potential targets particularly interesting. Bednar would represent Detroit paying for a more established and dependable solution, while Fairbanks would represent another bet on the organization’s ability to maximize pitching talent.

Signing Bednar would likely require a larger financial commitment because teams generally pay a premium for recent performance and late-inning certainty. Detroit would essentially be purchasing stability for a bullpen that desperately needs more of it.

Fairbanks could potentially offer greater value if his market falls because of his 2026 performance and health concerns. That path would carry considerably more risk, but the Tigers have shown they are comfortable taking calculated pitching-development gambles when the underlying talent remains attractive.

Detroit doesn’t necessarily have to follow one philosophy throughout the entire offseason. Harris could spend aggressively on an impact bat while searching for value in the bullpen, or he could decide that the ninth inning is important enough to justify paying for a proven closer.

Tigers Can’t Afford Another Unstable Ninth Inning

The Tigers are entering a different phase of their roster construction. Kevin McGonigle, Max Clark, Riley Greene and Dillon Dingler give Detroit the beginnings of a young offensive core, while additional prospects continue moving toward the Major Leagues.

That young talent creates an opportunity for Harris to spend more strategically around the edges of the roster. Instead of paying veterans simply to occupy positions, Detroit can target players capable of solving specific problems.

The ninth inning qualifies as one of those problems. Games lost late become increasingly costly when a team expects to contend for the postseason rather than simply evaluate young players.

Bednar would provide the cleaner solution because of his established track record and recent performance. Fairbanks would provide the more fascinating gamble because Detroit’s pitching department could potentially purchase low and attempt to restore a proven late-inning arm.

There will undoubtedly be other relievers available once the offseason fully develops. Harris will have more than two possibilities when he begins constructing Detroit’s 2027 bullpen, and the Tigers shouldn’t force a move simply because a recognizable closer becomes available.

Still, Bednar and Fairbanks are worth monitoring because Detroit has familiarity with both pitchers and an obvious need at the back end of the bullpen. One represents the established closer the Tigers could pay to stabilize the ninth inning, while the other represents the type of pitching-development gamble this organization has successfully made before.

The Tigers don’t need a famous name simply for the sake of making a splash. They need someone Hinch can hand the baseball to with a one-run lead in the ninth inning and reasonably expect that lead to survive.

Bednar and Fairbanks offer two very different ways to try to find that pitcher. Which direction Harris chooses could tell us plenty about how aggressively Detroit intends to attack the 2027 season.