GM: Randy Smith (since 1996)
| Player | Age | Service | G | fWAR | Salary $M | Surplus $M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Redman | 28 | arb | 30 | 4.0 | 0.3 | +6.6 |
| Jeff Weaver↔ NYY | 25 | arb | 17 | 3.2 | 1.2 | +4.2 |
| Mike Maroth | 24 | – | 21 | 2.4 | – | – |
| Robert Fick | 28 | arb | 148 | 1.8 | 1.1 | +1.9 |
| Shane Halter | 32 | arb | 122 | 1.3 | 1.5 | +0.8 |
| Steve Sparks | 37 | FA-elig | 32 | 1.2 | 3.0 | -1.0 |
| Damion Easley | 32 | FA-elig | 85 | 1.0 | 6.2 | -4.5 |
| Juan Acevedo | 32 | FA-elig | 65 | 0.9 | 0.8 | +0.8 |
| Bobby Higginson | 31 | FA-elig | 119 | 0.9 | 5.8 | -4.3 |
| Damian Jackson | 28 | FA-elig | 81 | 0.8 | 0.6 | +0.8 |
| Omar Infante | 20 | – | 18 | 0.6 | – | – |
| Ramon Santiago | 22 | – | 65 | 0.6 | – | – |
| Andy Van Hekken | 22 | – | 5 | 0.5 | – | – |
| Seth Greisinger | 26 | – | 8 | 0.4 | – | – |
| Brian Moehler↔ CIN | 30 | FA-elig | 3 | 0.3 | 0.6 | -0.0 |
| Carlos Pena↔ OAK | 24 | pre-arb | 75 | 0.3 | 0.1 | +0.3 |
| Franklyn German | 22 | – | 7 | 0.2 | – | – |
| Nate Cornejo | 22 | pre-arb | 9 | 0.2 | 0.2 | +0.1 |
| Jacob Cruz | 29 | FA-elig | 35 | 0.2 | 0.4 | -0.0 |
| Eric Eckenstahler | 25 | – | 7 | 0.2 | – | – |
| Mitch Meluskey | 28 | arb | 8 | 0.1 | 0.3 | -0.1 |
| Ryan Jackson | 30 | – | 4 | 0.1 | – | – |
| Adam Bernero | 25 | – | 28 | 0.1 | – | – |
| Jason Beverlin↔ CLE | 28 | – | 3 | 0.1 | – | – |
| Oscar Salazar | 24 | – | 8 | 0.0 | – | – |
| Erik Sabel | 27 | – | 1 | 0.0 | – | – |
| Jason Jimenez↔ TBR | 26 | – | 1 | -0.0 | – | – |
| George Lombard | 26 | – | 72 | -0.0 | – | – |
| Danny Patterson | 31 | FA-elig | 6 | -0.0 | 1.7 | -1.7 |
| Jose Lima | 29 | FA-elig | 20 | -0.0 | 7.2 | -7.3 |
| Fernando Rodney | 25 | – | 20 | -0.0 | – | – |
| Kris Keller | 24 | – | 1 | -0.1 | – | – |
| Brian Powell | 28 | – | 13 | -0.1 | – | – |
| Matt Anderson | 25 | arb | 12 | -0.1 | 1.8 | -2.0 |
| Dmitri Young | 28 | FA-elig | 54 | -0.1 | 5.5 | -5.7 |
| Brandon Inge | 25 | – | 95 | -0.1 | – | – |
| Terry Pearson | 30 | pre-arb | 4 | -0.1 | 0.2 | -0.4 |
| Jeff Farnsworth | 26 | pre-arb | 44 | -0.1 | 0.2 | -0.4 |
| Matt Miller | 27 | pre-arb | 2 | -0.2 | 0.2 | -0.5 |
| Jamie Walker | 30 | – | 57 | -0.2 | – | – |
| Matt Perisho | 27 | – | 5 | -0.2 | – | – |
| Shane Loux | 22 | – | 3 | -0.2 | – | – |
| Oscar Henriquez | 28 | – | 30 | -0.2 | – | – |
| Dean Palmer | 33 | FA-elig | 4 | -0.3 | 8.0 | -8.5 |
| Mike Rivera | 25 | pre-arb | 39 | -0.3 | 0.2 | -0.7 |
| Eric Munson | 24 | – | 18 | -0.3 | – | – |
| Matt Walbeck | 32 | – | 27 | -0.3 | – | – |
| Julio Santana | 28 | – | 38 | -0.5 | – | – |
| Craig Monroe | 25 | – | 13 | -0.5 | – | – |
| Jose Paniagua | 28 | FA-elig | 41 | -0.6 | 1.3 | -2.3 |
| Andres Torres | 24 | – | 19 | -0.6 | – | – |
| Jose Macias↔ WSN | 30 | arb | 33 | -0.6 | 0.1 | -1.1 |
| Hiram Bocachica↔ LAD | 26 | pre-arb | 34 | -0.7 | 0.1 | -1.4 |
| Randall Simon | 27 | arb | 130 | -0.8 | 0.3 | -1.6 |
| Wendell Magee | 29 | FA-elig | 97 | -0.9 | 0.4 | -2.0 |
| Chris Truby↔ WSN | 28 | pre-arb | 89 | -1.7 | 0.2 | -3.0 |
| Craig Paquette | 33 | FA-elig | 72 | -1.9 | 2.1 | -5.3 |
57 players appeared (WAR is complete); salary & surplus are on record for 30 of them (53%). Players without a salary show "–" — no single historical salary source is fully complete (especially 2020–2022).
WAR = FanGraphs (fWAR). Green = produced more value than paid (bargain); red = paid more than produced. Service: pre-arb (<3 yr) / arb (3–6) / FA-eligible (6+). Click headers to sort.
| Player | Year | WAR for DET |
|---|---|---|
| Max Scherzer | 2009 | 22.2 |
| Carlos Guillén | 2004 | 18.3 |
| Ian Kinsler | 2013 | 16.3 |
| Jeremy Bonderman | 2002 | 15.8 |
| Damion Easley | 1996 | 15.4 |
| Austin Jackson | 2009 | 14.8 |
| Mickey Tettleton | 1991 | 14.4 |
| Chet Lemon | 1981 | 14.2 |
| Player | Year traded | WAR elsewhere |
|---|---|---|
| John Smoltz | 1987 | 81.6 |
| Luis Gonzalez | 1998 | 33.8 |
| Chris Hoiles | 1988 | 24.8 |
| Howard Johnson | 1984 | 22.8 |
| Justin Verlander | 2017 | 19.7 |
| Rick Porcello | 2014 | 13.1 |
| Robbie Ray | 2014 | 11.8 |
| Matt Joyce | 2008 | 10.7 |