Detroit Tigers

Right-handed starting pitcher Kenta Maeda agreed to a two-year contract with the Detroit Tigers on Sunday, per the New York Post's Jon Heyman.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported that the deal is worth $24 million.

Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press added that the deal is pending a physical, which will take place on Monday. He also added more information on the agreement.

Maeda, who turns 36 next April, went 6-8 with a 4.23 ERA (1.17 WHIP) and 117 strikeouts in 104.1 innings for the Minnesota Twins last season. He pitched in 21 games (20 starts).

The 2023 campaign marked an impressive comeback for Maeda, who underwent Tommy John surgery in Sept. 2021 and missed the entire 2022 campaign.

Maeda returned in time for the 2023 season but went on the injured list after four starts with a right triceps strain.

After two months out, Maeda was excellent upon his return thanks to a 6-4 record, 3.36 ERA and 103 strikeouts in 88.1 frames. Opposing hitters only managed a .219 batting average (.680 OPS) against him during that span, per Baseball-Reference.

Maeda played professionally in Japan for the Hiroshima Carp from 2008-2015 before heading to the bigs. He pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2016-2019 before being traded to the Twins in 2020.

Per FanGraphs' Roster Resource, Maeda currently slots in as the Tigers' No. 2 starter behind Tarik Skubal and alongside Matt Manning, Reese Olson and Casey Mize.

The Detroit Tigers are interested in free agent pitcher Kenta Maeda, with the talks between both sides having "intensified" in recent days (per Jon Morosi of MLB network).

The right-hander finished with a record of 6-8 in 2023, posting a 4.23 ERA while recording 117 strikeouts in 104.1 innings pitched.

Maeda is just a few seasons removed from a second-place finish in 2020 American League Cy Young voting however, maintaining a 2.70 ERA in 11 starts.

Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press previously reported that the Tigers had "serious interest" in the 35-year-old, and it appears that the feeling is mutual.

Lefty Eduardo Rodriguez led Detroit with 26 starts last year, although he's currently a free agent. While Maeda would help fill out the Tigers' staff, he likely wouldn't replace Rodriguez's production.

However, the acquisition of Maeda could open the door for a much larger offseason splash. Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto is currently available in free agency, with the Tigers interested (per Jon Heyman of the New York Post).

Petzold also detailed Detroit's interest in Yamamoto, with the potential addition of Maeda making them an attractive destination for the 25-year-old.

"The Tigers want to establish themselves in the Japanese pitching market, so signing Maeda to a short-term contract — and giving him a first-class experience — would help set the foundation for future deals. He would provide a much-needed veteran presence on the young pitching staff, as well."

Throughout his professional career in the NPB, Yamamoto has a record of 70-29 with a 1.82 ERA. He's struck out 922 batters in 897.0 innings of work with eight shutouts.

On Wednesday, it was revealed that Yamamoto is reportedly interested in joining an MLB team with other Japanese players (per Yahoo! Japan).

While the potential free agency acquisition of Maeda would be a solid move for Detroit, it could have major ramifications for an even larger signing this winter.

Former American League MVP and Cy Young winner Willie Hernández has died at the age of 69.

The Detroit Tigers, one of Hernández's former teams, issued a statement about the three-time All-Star on Tuesday.

An official cause of death hasn't been announced. He did have heart problems several years ago that resulted in him having a pacemaker installed.

"I passed away putting a pacemaker into my heart and I wake up later on," Hernández told reporters after throwing out the first pitch at the Tigers' home opener in 2019. "Because God's got my heart, so nobody is going to bother my heart. No one is going to touch my heart."

Hernández began his professional baseball career in his native Puerto Rico before signing with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1973. He spent three years in the minors before being selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 1976 Rule 5 draft.

The Cubs gave Hernández his first MLB exposure in 1977 when he appeared in 67 games as a reliever. The left-hander played seven seasons in Chicago before being traded back to Philadelphia early in the 1983 campaign.

After finishing the season with the Phillies, Hernández was traded to the Tigers in March 1984. The move turned out to be a spark that ignited his entire career. He won AL MVP and Cy Young in his first year with the club after posting a 1.92 ERA in 140.1 innings over 80 games.

Hernández is one of 11 players in MLB history to win both awards in the same season. The Tigers defeated the San Diego Padres in the 1984 World Series. It remains the last title won by the franchise.

He was named to the AL All-Star team in three consecutive years from 1984 to '86. Injuries ultimately ended Hernández's career after the 1989 season, though he tried multiple comebacks without getting back on the mound in an MLB game.

Hernández finished his career with a 3.38 ERA in 1,044.2 innings in 744 appearances over 13 seasons with three different teams.

Javier Báez is going to play out the remainder of his contract with the Detroit Tigers.

Per Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press, the two-time All-Star has declined to opt out of his deal that has four years and $98 million remaining.

Coming off five consecutive losing seasons from 2017 to '21, the Tigers attempted to accelerate their rebuild going into 2022. Báez signed a six-year, $140 million contract to be their starting shortstop. Eduardo Rodríguez got a five-year, $77 million deal.

Rodríguez opted out of the remaining three years and $49 million left on his deal last week.

Those deals combined with the promotion of top prospects like Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene were supposed to make the Tigers playoff contenders again. Things haven't worked out so far, though there were signs of positive development for Torkelson and Greene this season.

Báez turned out to be a huge disappointment in Detroit. He hit .230/.273/.361 with 26 homers, 126 RBI and 272 strikeouts over 1,065 at-bats in 280 games since the start of 2022.

Among 111 players with enough at-bats to qualify for the batting average title over the past two seasons, Báez ranks 93rd in FanGraphs wins above replacement (2.7). His minus-28.3 offensive value is the second-worst in MLB, ahead of Cleveland Guardians outfielder Myles Straw (minus-29.8).

These numbers made it seem like a foregone conclusion that Báez was going to decline his opt-out. It would have been virtually impossible for him to get anything close to $98 million in free agency.

Given how poorly Báez has played for the past two seasons, there's an argument he wouldn't get more than a minor-league deal with an invite to spring training if he were to go on the open market.

There has been no indication Báez is unhappy in Detroit, other than not playing up to the standard he set for himself throughout most of his tenure with the Chicago Cubs. He made back-to-back All-Star teams in 2018 and 2019 and finished second in NL MVP voting in 2018.

Volatility has always been a hallmark of Báez's game, even when he was at his best. He's a high-strikeout player who can struggle to make contact for long periods of time, but he could also carry an offense when he was in the zone.

Going into next season as a 31-year-old, Báez will attempt to prove he's still capable of those successful flourishes. The Tigers will be counting on it as they look to build on the progress players like Torkelson and Greene made in 2023.

Detroit Tigers starting left-handed pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez has opted out of the remaining three years and $49 million on his contract, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman.

Rodriguez, who turns 31 in April, just enjoyed a tremendous 2023 campaign for the Tigers, going 13-9 with a 3.40 ERA (1.15 WHIP) and 143 strikeouts in 152.2 innings over 26 starts.

His performance naturally made him a hot name on the trade market as the Tigers failed to get much going en route to a 78-84 season.

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Tigers agreed to a deal involving Rodriguez prior to the Aug. 1 trade deadline, but the southpaw vetoed that deal and explained why he did so a day later.

"It's nothing against the Dodgers or the West Coast or whatever. It's just about the details to go out there and where my family is," Rodriguez said at the time, per MLB.com's Jason Beck. "My future is where they're happy and I'm happy and that's why I decided to stay here. It has nothing to do with the Dodgers."

Rodriguez began his MLB career with the Boston Red Sox in 2015. He stayed with the team through the 2021 season and then signed a five-year, $77 million contract with the Tigers in free agency.

For his career, Rodriguez has posted an 82-53 mark with a 4.03 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 9.1 K/9 rate.

Rodriguez is coming one of his best MLB seasons. Of note, his WPA (win probably added) of 2.1 is the best mark of his career, per Baseball-Reference.

Naturally, it makes sense for Rodriguez to cash in on his 2023 success and hopefully parlay it into a longer-term and more lucrative contract than what he was about to receive. We'll see if any team gives him such a deal, but Rodriguez will still be a big name to watch during hot stove season.

Miguel Cabrera's impending retirement won't keep him away from the Detroit Tigers for long.

Cabrera will serve as Special Assistant to the Tigers' President of Baseball Operations following his retirement at the end of this season, the team announced Friday.

The Tigers have brought former star players into the front office in the past, including Alan Trammell and Willie Horton.

The 2023 Tigers season, Cabrera's 21st in the MLB, ends Sunday against the Cleveland Guardians.

"Lessons like how to deal with praise and pressure are exactly what we want Miguel teaching players throughout our organization," said Scott Harris, president of baseball operations for the Tigers. "I'm honored to have him as part of our staff, and know he will continue to make the Tigers better in his new role."

In addition to Horton, a four-time All-Star who helped the team win a championship in 1968, and Trammell, who in two decades as a Tiger won a World Series title and four Gold Glove Awards between 1977 and 1996, the Detroit front office staff features other former team legends.

The list of the Tigers' special assistants to the GM includes former player and coach Kirk Gibson and player Lance Parrish, both members of the 1984 championship team, as well as former manager Jim Leyland, who earned a Manager of the Year title with the Tigers in 2006.

Mike Russell, a former member of the Tigers' minor-league scouting staff, also serves as a special assistant to the GM.

Cabrera, who in 2022 became the third player in MLB history to rack up 3,000 hits, 500 home runs and 600 doubles in his career, certainly fits among those ranks.

The next stop for Cabrera will undoubtedly be the National Baseball Hall of Fame, which he will be eligible to join as part of the class of 2029.

Before then, Cabrera will head into his final weekend as a player slashing .254/.317/.661 with 33 RBI on the season.

Eduardo Rodriguez may be hitting free agency this offseason.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the Detroit Tigers southpaw is "expected to opt-out with $49M and three years to go." This comes despite the fact that Rodriguez reportedly "loves Detroit."

He signed a five-year, $77 million deal with the team ahead of the 2022 season.

In 25 starts in 2023, Rodriguez is 12-9 with a 3.40 ERA.

Of note, Rodriguez vetoed a deadline deal to the Los Angeles Dodgers. At the time, Rodriguez said that the decision had nothing to do with the Dodgers organization and that he was still unsure of his future.

"If I had a magic ball and I could tell you what was going to happen in the future, I'd probably tell you right away," he told reporters after vetoing the trade. "But right now I'm here, I'm with this organization. I'm signed here for a long time. I feel happy with everything. My family feels happy in Detroit. I feel happy with the teammates and everything, the organization. I'd really love to stay here, and that's why I made that decision."

The projected free agency class has some interesting names, including Shohei Ohtani, Clayton Kershaw and Hyun-Jin Ryu.

Rodriguez would certainly be an intriguing option for any team looking for a rotational piece. He had a sub-3.00 ERA prior to the deadline.

Unfortunately for him, though, he may not pitch again in 2023 after suffering an injury on Sept. 19. While his comments about loving Detroit certainly show that he could choose to return to the team, he will reportedly at least explore free agency.

The Detroit Tigers have found their new general manager.

The Tigers hired Chicago Blackhawks associated general manager Jeff Greenberg to replace Al Avila, whom they fired in August 2022.

ESPN's Jeff Passan noted Greenberg and Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris previously worked together with the Chicago Cubs.

"It's an extraordinary honor to take on this role with one of the most historic franchises in Major League Baseball," Greenberg said in a statement, via MLB.com. "Throughout my conversations with Scott, Chris Ilitch and the rest of the team with the Tigers, it became clear that this organization is headed in a great direction with an incredible culture of development and innovation that I'm excited to be part of. Another constant message in those conversations was that Tigers fans want to see winning baseball deep into October. I'm excited to get to work with our front office on off-season and longer-term plans to make that our reality."

Avila's firing late last season came after the Tigers spent a total of $217 million in free agency to bring in Javier Báez (six years, $140 million) and Eduardo Rodríguez (five years, $77 million).

Adding Báez and Rodríguez to a young core that included Spencer Torkelson, Riley Greene, Casey Mize, Matt Manning and Tarik Skubal was supposed to elevate the Tigers back into playoff contention.

Instead, the 2022 team finished 66-96 and missed the postseason for the eighth consecutive year. Avila had been with the Tigers since April 2002 when he was hired as assistant general manager and vice president.

Greenberg was hired by the Blackhawks in April 2022 after spending 11 years with the Cubs. He was serving as the Cubs assistant general manager at the time he left to join the NHL club.

The Cubs hired Greenberg as a baseball operations intern in 2011 shortly after Theo Epstein took over as team president. He won a World Series with the organization in 2016 and worked his way up to become assistant GM.

Harris was originally hired by the Cubs in 2012 as director of baseball operations. He was promoted to assistant general manager in 2018 and was hired by the San Francisco Giants as their general manager in November 2019.

The Tigers named Harris their president of baseball operations in September 2022 after Avila was fired.

Even though Detroit is unlikely to make the playoffs this season, the team has made improvements over last year with a 71-81 record going into Thursday's game against the Oakland Athletics.