President of baseball ops: Scott Harris · GM: Jeff Greenberg · partial season
Ranks vs the 30 teams in 2026, or a custom range (defaults to every team-season since 1985, when our data starts).
Each position shows its top 3 by games (top = starter) — click "+more" for the rest. The letter is bats/throws; ⇄ marks a player traded mid-season. Starters are ranked by WAR, bullpen by holds; ★ marks the closer (most save chances). MLB Stats API.
| Player | fWAR |
|---|---|
| Kevin McGonigle | 4.6 |
| Framber Valdez | 1.5 |
| Drew Anderson | 0.5 |
| Ty Madden | 0.4 |
| Enmanuel De Jesus | 0.3 |
| Hao-Yu Lee | 0.1 |
| Player | 2025 fWAR |
|---|---|
| Andy Ibáñez | 0.4 |
| Brewer Hicklen | 0.2 |
| Carlos Hernández | 0.2 |
| Dietrich Enns | 0.2 |
| Tomás Nido | 0.1 |
| Sean Guenther | 0.1 |
WAR translated into tier-adjusted market value, then compared with what the player was paid by Tigers. Guaranteed contracts from the 2015-present contract-data period use the known contract period through 2026; everyone else is shown as a 2026 season snapshot.
| Player | Period | fWAR | Tier Market $M | Paid $M | Surplus $M | $ / WAR | Tier | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin McGonigle | 2026 | +5.4 | +65.2 | 0.8 | +64.4 | $0.1M | 1.51× | Pre-arb extension · 2027–2034 · $18.8M AAV |
| Dillon Dingler | 2026 | +5.8 | +59.2 | 0.8 | +58.3 | $0.1M | 1.28× | Pre-arbitration · 2026–2026 · $0.8M AAV |
| Casey Mize↔ | 2026 | +3.5 | +61.4 | 4.7 | +56.7 | $1.3M | 2.19× | Arbitration · 2026–2026 · $6.2M AAV |
| Keider Montero | 2026 | +2.9 | +45.2 | 0.8 | +44.5 | $0.3M | 1.96× | – |
| Tarik Skubal↔ | 2026 | +3.5 | +61.5 | 24.4 | +37.1 | $6.9M | 2.19× | Arbitration · 2026–2026 · $32.0M AAV |
| Riley Greene | 2026 | +3.0 | +37.8 | 5.0 | +32.8 | $1.7M | 1.60× | Arbitration · 2026–2026 · $5.0M AAV |
| Colt Keith | 2024–2026 | +4.8 | +34.4 | 11.0 | +23.4 | $2.3M | 0.89× | Pre-arb extension · 2024–2032 · $4.8M AAV |
| Troy Melton | 2026 | +2.0 | +24.2 | 0.8 | +23.4 | $0.4M | 1.49× | Pre-arbitration · 2026–2026 · $0.8M AAV |
| Drew Sommers | 2026 | +0.8 | +4.5 | 0.0 | +4.5 | $0.0M | 0.67× | Pre-arbitration · 2026–2026 · $0.8M AAV |
| Jack Flaherty | 2025–2026 | +4.1 | +49.2 | 45.0 | +4.2 | $10.9M | 1.49× | Free Agent · 2025–2026 · $17.5M AAV |
| Ty Madden | 2026 | +0.5 | +2.6 | 0.6 | +2.0 | $1.2M | 0.67× | Pre-arbitration · 2026–2026 · $0.8M AAV |
| Zach McKinstry | 2026 | +0.8 | +5.2 | 4.2 | +1.0 | $5.4M | 0.83× | Arbitration · 2026–2026 · $4.2M AAV |
| Enmanuel De Jesus | 2026 | +0.4 | +2.2 | 1.3 | +0.9 | $3.0M | 0.67× | – |
| Parker Meadows | 2026 | +0.3 | +1.7 | 0.8 | +0.9 | $3.1M | 0.83× | Pre-arbitration · 2026–2026 · $0.8M AAV |
| Brant Hurter | 2026 | +0.2 | +1.2 | 0.8 | +0.4 | $3.6M | 0.67× | Pre-arbitration · 2026–2026 · $0.8M AAV |
| Will Vest | 2026 | +0.4 | +4.3 | 4.0 | +0.3 | $9.9M | 1.34× | Arbitration · 2026–2026 · $4.0M AAV |
| Tyler Kinley↔ | 2026 | +0.0 | +0.3 | 0.2 | +0.2 | $5.3M | 1.34× | Free Agent · 2026–2027 · $4.2M AAV |
| Tyler Holton | 2026 | +0.3 | +1.5 | 1.6 | -0.1 | $5.7M | 0.67× | Arbitration · 2026–2026 · $1.6M AAV |
| Hao-Yu Lee | 2026 | +0.1 | +0.5 | 0.7 | -0.2 | $5.8M | 0.56× | – |
| Jace Jung | 2026 | -0.0 | -0.2 | 0.0 | -0.2 | – | 0.69× | – |
| Drew Anderson | 2026 | +0.6 | +6.5 | 7.0 | -0.5 | $11.6M | 1.34× | Free Agent · 2026–2027 · $7.0M AAV |
| Zack Short↔ | 2026 | -0.0 | -0.0 | 0.5 | -0.5 | – | 0.61× | Free Agent · 2026–2026 · $0.8M AAV |
| Burch Smith | 2026 | +0.1 | +0.5 | 1.3 | -0.7 | $12.9M | 0.67× | Free Agent · 2026–2026 · $1.5M AAV |
| Yilber Díaz↔ | 2026 | -0.1 | -0.4 | 0.5 | -1.0 | – | 0.67× | – |
| Jackson Jobe | 2026 | -0.0 | -0.3 | 0.8 | -1.1 | – | 1.02× | Pre-arbitration · 2026–2026 · $0.8M AAV |
| Framber Valdez | 2026 | +1.8 | +21.4 | 22.8 | -1.4 | $12.7M | 1.49× | Free Agent · 2029–2029 · $38.3M AAV |
| Beau Brieske | 2026 | -0.1 | -0.8 | 1.2 | -1.9 | – | 0.67× | Arbitration · 2026–2026 · $1.2M AAV |
| Ricky Vanasco | 2026 | -0.3 | -1.4 | 0.6 | -2.0 | – | 0.67× | Pre-arbitration · 2026–2026 · $0.8M AAV |
| Jake Rogers↔ | 2026 | -0.0 | -0.1 | 2.1 | -2.1 | – | 0.65× | Arbitration · 2026–2026 · $3.0M AAV |
| Gage Workman↔ | 2026 | -0.5 | -2.3 | 0.5 | -2.8 | – | 0.56× | Pre-arbitration · 2026–2026 · $0.8M AAV |
| Brenan Hanifee | 2026 | -0.5 | -2.6 | 0.6 | -3.2 | – | 0.67× | Pre-arbitration · 2026–2026 · $0.8M AAV |
| Spencer Torkelson | 2026 | +0.1 | +0.3 | 4.1 | -3.7 | $55.1M | 0.56× | Arbitration · 2026–2026 · $4.1M AAV |
| Wenceel Pérez | 2026 | -0.5 | -3.5 | 0.7 | -4.2 | – | 0.83× | – |
| Matt Vierling | 2026 | -0.5 | -3.2 | 3.3 | -6.5 | – | 0.83× | Arbitration · 2026–2026 · $3.3M AAV |
| Kerry Carpenter | 2026 | -0.8 | -5.0 | 3.3 | -8.3 | – | 0.83× | Arbitration · 2026–2026 · $3.3M AAV |
| Justin Verlander | 2026 | -0.1 | -0.8 | 7.8 | -8.6 | – | 1.02× | Free Agent · 2026–2026 · $13.0M AAV |
| Jahmai Jones↔ | 2026 | -1.4 | -9.2 | 0.6 | -9.8 | – | 0.83× | Pre-arbitration · 2026–2026 · $0.8M AAV |
| Kenley Jansen | 2026 | -0.1 | -0.8 | 9.0 | -9.8 | – | 1.34× | Free Agent · 2026–2027 · $11.0M AAV |
| Gleyber Torres | 2026 | +1.5 | +10.0 | 22.0 | -12.0 | $14.4M | 0.82× | Qualifying Offer · 2026–2026 · $22.0M AAV |
| Kyle Finnegan | 2026 | -0.7 | -7.7 | 8.8 | -16.4 | – | 1.34× | Free Agent · 2026–2028 · $9.5M AAV |
| Javier Báez | 2022–2026 | +3.6 | +17.5 | 116.0 | -98.6 | $32.5M | 0.61× | Free Agent · 2022–2027 · $23.3M AAV |
| Connor Seabold↔ | 2026 | +0.1 | +0.4 | 0.4 | -0.0 | $6.0M | 0.67× | Free Agent · 2026–2026 · $0.8M AAV |
| James Outman↔ | 2026 | +0.1 | +0.3 | 0.4 | -0.0 | $7.3M | 0.83× | Pre-arbitration · 2026–2026 · $0.8M AAV |
| Corey Julks | 2026 | -0.0 | -0.0 | – | – | – | 0.83× | – |
| Jacob Waguespack | 2026 | -0.2 | -1.3 | – | – | – | 0.67× | – |
| Tanner Rainey | 2026 | -0.1 | -0.4 | – | – | – | 0.67× | – |
| Total | — | +40.8 | +479.0 | 321.8 | +159.4 | — | ||
Every graded 2026 deal involving the Tigers — best expected value first. Surplus is realized value in $M; 12 total.
What the front office was committed to as of 2026, 2026–2032. Guaranteed $ are contract commitments signed by 2026; arbitration & free-agent years are projected from service time. Hover a figure for its luxury-tax (CBT) & actual-cash values.
| 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 | 2031 | 2032 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tax threshold | $244M | $247M | $250M | $253M | $256M | $259M | $262M |
| Guaranteed contracts | $120M | $69M | $41M | $5M | $5M | $5M | |
| Proj. arbitration | $68M | ||||||
| Proj. pre-arbitration | $11M | $19M | $28M | $57M | $19M | $19M | |
| Player benefits | $18M | $18M | $18M | $18M | $18M | $18M | |
| Total CBT payroll | $217M | $106M | $88M | $80M | $42M | $42M | |
| Tax space | +$27M | +$141M | +$162M | +$173M | +$214M | +$217M | |
| Est. tax bill | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Luxury-tax (CBT) basis: contract AAV + ~$18M benefits/bonus-pool — distinct from the base-salary payroll above. Threshold is the CBA line. Tier-1 payor rates on the overage. Forward years show only guaranteed deals (arb/pre-arb not yet set). Figures are estimates.
| Player | Age | Svc | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 | 2031 | 2032 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Javier Báez | 33 | 10.089 | $24.0M | $24.0M | FREE AGENT | ||||
| Framber Valdez | 32 | 6.163 | $22.8M | $42.8M | $35.0MPLAYER | $40.0MMUTUAL | FREE AGENT | ||
| Gleyber Torres | 29 | 7.162 | $22.0M | FREE AGENT | |||||
| Jack Flaherty | 30 | 8.006 | $20.0MPLAYER | FREE AGENT | |||||
| Kenley Jansen | 38 | 15.073 | $9.0M | $12.0MCLUB | FREE AGENT | ||||
| Kyle Finnegan | 34 | 6.000 | $8.8M | $8.0M | $10.0MMUTUAL | FREE AGENT | |||
| Justin Verlander | 43 | 20.002 | $7.8M | FREE AGENT | |||||
| Drew Anderson | 32 | 0.114 | $7.0M | $10.0MCLUB | FREE AGENT | ||||
| Colt Keith | 24 | 2.000 | $4.3M | $4.3M | $5.3M | $5.3M | $10.0MCLUB | $13.0MCLUB | $15.0MCLUB |
| Kevin McGonigle | 21 | – | $780k | $2.8M | $8.8M | $17.8M | $22.8M | $23.8M | |
| Tyler Kinley | 35 | 7.014 | $173k | $5.5MCLUB | FREE AGENT | ||||
| Tanner Rainey | 33 | 6.127 | — | FREE AGENT |
| Player | Age | Svc | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 | 2031 | 2032 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tarik Skubal | 29 | 5.114 | $24.4M | FREE AGENT | |||||
| Riley Greene | 25 | 3.110 | $5.0M | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT | |||
| Casey Mize | 29 | 5.111 | $4.7M | FREE AGENT | |||||
| Zach McKinstry | 31 | 4.099 | $4.2M | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT | ||||
| Spencer Torkelson | 26 | 3.076 | $4.1M | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT | |||
| Will Vest | 31 | 4.100 | $4.0M | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT | ||||
| Kerry Carpenter | 28 | 3.057 | $3.3M | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT | |||
| Matt Vierling | 29 | 4.026 | $3.3M | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT | ||||
| Jake Rogers | 31 | 5.040 | $2.1M | FREE AGENT | |||||
| Tyler Holton | 30 | 3.047 | $1.6M | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT | |||
| Burch Smith | 36 | 5.086 | $1.3M | FREE AGENT | |||||
| Beau Brieske | 28 | 3.056 | $1.2M | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT | |||
| Jacob Waguespack | 32 | 3.091 | — | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT |
| Player | Age | Svc | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 | 2031 | 2032 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enmanuel De Jesus | 29 | – | $1.3M | ||||||
| Dillon Dingler | 27 | 1.063 | $835k | Pre-Arb | ARB 1 | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT | |
| Parker Meadows | 26 | 1.169 | $805k | Pre-Arb | ARB 1 | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT | |
| Brant Hurter | 27 | 1.042 | $796k | Pre-Arb | ARB 1 | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT | |
| Troy Melton | 25 | 0.068 | $786k | Pre-Arb | Pre-Arb | ARB 1 | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT |
| Jackson Jobe | 23 | 1.006 | $784k | Pre-Arb | ARB 1 | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT | |
| Keider Montero | 25 | 1.011 | $772k | Pre-Arb | ARB 1 | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT | |
| Wenceel Pérez | 26 | 2.000 | $745k | ARB 1 | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT | ||
| Hao-Yu Lee | 23 | – | $715k | ||||||
| Ricky Vanasco | 27 | 0.039 | $632k | Pre-Arb | Pre-Arb | ARB 1 | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT |
| Brenan Hanifee | 28 | 1.069 | $617k | Pre-Arb | ARB 1 | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT | |
| Ty Madden | 26 | 1.035 | $609k | Pre-Arb | ARB 1 | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT | |
| Jahmai Jones | 28 | 1.148 | $600k | Pre-Arb | ARB 1 | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT | |
| Yilber Díaz | 25 | 0.041 | $547k | Pre-Arb | Pre-Arb | ARB 1 | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT |
| Gage Workman | 26 | – | $523k | ||||||
| Zack Short | 31 | 2.070 | $476k | FREE AGENT | |||||
| Connor Seabold | 30 | 1.054 | $419k | FREE AGENT | |||||
| James Outman | 29 | 2.007 | $382k | ARB 1 | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT | ||
| Jace Jung | 25 | 0.079 | $29k | Pre-Arb | Pre-Arb | ARB 1 | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT |
| Drew Sommers | 25 | 0.032 | $4k | Pre-Arb | Pre-Arb | ARB 1 | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT |
| Corey Julks | 30 | 2.105 | — | ARB 1 | ARB 2 | ARB 3 | FREE AGENT |
How each 2026 acquisition stacked onto Tigers's playoff-odds curve. The side table is ranked by PPA.