Detroit Tigers Biggest Offseason Question Focuses on How Much They'll Spend
Whether the Detroit Tigers' magical run ends with a World Series ring or in the ALDS, the front office will eventually have to up their payroll in the offseason.
One interesting move they should consider is signing Tarik Skubal this winter. He doesn't hit free agency until 2027, but why not beat him to it and lock him up on a long-term deal now?
That'd avoid any possibility of him leaving that winter, which is what the Tigers should be looking to do. They clearly found their ace for the next decade, and those are rare to find, as they know better than anybody.
However, outside of that, it might be time to start spending on other positions and upgrading this roster as much as they can. With this young core in place, there seems to be about five to seven guys who should make an impact for them throughout the next few seasons.
Still, there are ways for them to improve, especially at third base.
The question remains whether the front office believes it's time to spend. If Detroit was content with how they played, which would be more than fair considering the expectations they had entering this season, they might look to run it back with this team again and see how they perform in 2025.
But it's still something they have to consider.
Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report believes their offseason spending is the biggest question they'll face this winter, bringing up a few good points.
"Way back when the Tigers were still stuck in the murky depths below .500, president of baseball operations Scott Harris basically hemmed and hawed when asked if the team would be raising payroll any time soon. Well, now they're a playoff team. That means they have to spend again, right? It seems possible, and it's not hard to point out areas that would benefit from a cash-infused talent upgrade. The left side of the infield is the big one and, just sayin', either Alex Bregman or Willy Adames would fit nicely there."
Both players he named would be excellent additions to the Tigers. Not only could they slot over to shortstop or third base, but they'd give them a right-handed bat who could be in the middle of their lineup moving forward.
As they've seen the benefits of playing their young guys, it's also fair to remember that those players could struggle in the following campaign. That's not uncommon for youngsters, so they have to keep that in the back of their minds.
Despite that reality, putting the best team around Skubal moving forward is the best plan. Spending money would help that.
