The free agent relievers class is both strong and deep this off-season. That’s great news for a Detroit Tigers team that struggled in high-leverage situations late in games, blowing 68 leads en route to a disappointing fourth-place finish in the American League Central. Those 68 blown leads are both a franchise and Major League Baseball record, and include 32 blown saves on the season, second-worst only to the Washington Nationals. It is worth mentioning that the Nats’ mark set a new low in MLB history. With the team needing to bounce back, the deep free agent relievers class should be a boon to Detroit.
Three Free Agent Relievers To Solve Tigers’ Leverage Issues
Pete Fairbanks
Pete Fairbanks is among the free agent relievers who have served as a closer in the past. Kenley Jansen served in that role in Detroit in 2026 with very mixed results. He blew six of 28 saves on the season, the most in a year since 2022, when he blew seven saves in 48 tries. His 78.6 save percentage was the lowest of his MLB career. So, it would seem that the smart play with Jansen would be to pay his $2MM buyout instead of exercising their $12MM option for 2027.
If the team decides to operate near the top of the free agent market for relievers, then Fairbanks would be a terrific option. He was fantastic as a Tampa Bay Ray from 2019-2025, posting a 2.98 ERA in that time, striking out 317 in 250 2/3 IP. After going to the Miami Marlins in the off-season, he suffered a setback. Fairbanks finished the season on the IL after converting 19/23 save opportunities, but put up a woeful 6.32 ERA.
David Bednar and Adrian Morejon will be the pacesetters for the upper echelon of the free agent relievers class, with Fairbanks likely being passed over by the biggest spenders. That could open the door for the Tigers to make a move for Fairbanks, who could be open to a short-term contract with a view of trying to land a big, multi-year contract under the new CBA once (or perhaps if) that gets completed.
Raisel Iglesias
Raisel Iglesias has registered an ERA under 3.00 in four of the last five seasons despite getting on in years. He will turn 37 in January, so he is nearing the end of his career, but that didn’t stop the Tigers from taking a gamble on Jansen last winter. Although that experiment didn’t turn out as planned, General Manager Scott Harris may be tempted to do something similar this off-season. Of the three free agent relievers on this list, Iglesias earned the most in 2026 with a $16MM one-year deal with Atlanta.
He’s likely to receive another short-term deal, so the prevailing thought is that Iglesias will simply go with the highest bidder. The Braves are generally hesitant to dole out big-money deals, although they tend to hold a lot of loyalty from their players. So, it is possible that Iglesias will be willing to take a lower AAV in order to stick with familiar surroundings and to stick with a team with good playoff odds for 2027. Iglesias should be a safe bet for the back end of whichever bullpen he ends up in next season, and his signing would be a boon for the Tigers.
Bryan Abreu
Although Josh Hader is the closer in Houston, Bryan Abreu is comfortable in leverage situations and could be the closer on many teams in the MLB. Abreu registered 80 strikeouts in 62 2/3 IP in 2026 with a strikeout rate of 29.9%, compared to the league average for relievers of about 24%. Although this strikeout rate is well above league average, that was the worst strikeout rate of his career, and it’s the first time he put up fewer than 100 strikeouts in a season.
Of these three free agent relievers, Abreu is also very young and won’t turn 30 until next April. Iglesias will likely favor a short-term high-AAV contract, while Fairbanks is 32 but coming off a down season, so would be open to a short-term bounce-back contract. Abreu, meanwhile, is coming off another strong season and has a track record of staying healthy.
He should be able to command a multi-year contract and will likely be further tempted by the prospect of being the lone closer on a team. The Tigers will be in need of a high-leverage arm for the next few seasons at least and, so long as they buy out Jansen, will also need a closer. Abreu and the Tigers would make a great fit for both the organization and the player.
Main Photo Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images
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