The Detroit Tigers have some serious work to do this offseason, and president of baseball operations Scott Harris is approaching a decision that could have a major impact on how he builds the 2027 roster.
Two veteran pitchers, Drew Anderson and Kenley Jansen, have club options worth a combined $22 million for next season. With Jansen carrying a $2 million buyout and Anderson’s option carrying no buyout, Detroit has a $20 million difference between picking up both options and declining both.
That is a significant amount of money for a team coming off a disappointing 76-86 season. And considering the questions surrounding Detroit’s pitching staff, how Harris handles those two contracts could help determine whether the Tigers take a meaningful step forward in 2027.
Drew Anderson Has Made His $10 Million Decision Interesting
When the Tigers brought Anderson back to Major League Baseball after four seasons pitching overseas, nobody knew exactly what Detroit would get from the veteran right-hander.
His early work out of the bullpen hardly made his $10 million club option for 2027 look like an obvious bargain. But once Anderson transitioned into Detroit’s starting rotation, things changed considerably.
According to the Tigers’ offseason pitching outlook, Anderson posted a 2.84 ERA while allowing just 7.1 hits per nine innings over his final nine starts.
Those numbers matter, especially after Detroit traded away Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize before the deadline. Suddenly, Anderson was not simply a veteran arm capable of eating innings; he was providing legitimate stability for a pitching staff that desperately needed it.
We previously examined how Detroit’s rotation depth became an increasingly complicated issue, and Anderson’s late-season performance only adds another layer to that discussion.
The question Harris must answer is whether Anderson’s success as a starter is sustainable over an entire season. Ten million dollars is a reasonable commitment for a dependable starting pitcher, but it becomes considerably less attractive if Anderson eventually returns to a middle-relief role.
Kenley Jansen Presents an Even Bigger Risk
Anderson’s decision is intriguing, but Jansen’s might be the more consequential gamble for Detroit.
The veteran closer has a $12 million club option for 2027, although the Tigers would owe him a $2 million buyout if they decline it. That means Harris can free up $10 million in additional payroll flexibility by choosing not to bring Jansen back.
Jansen finished 2026 with 29 saves, but his 4.24 ERA and seven blown save opportunities tell a much less encouraging story. His control was also concerning, with 4.60 walks per nine innings, while his 1.40 home runs allowed per nine innings highlighted another troubling weakness.
At 39 years old, Jansen remains one of baseball’s most accomplished closers. However, Detroit cannot afford to make this decision based on what he accomplished earlier in his career.
We already looked at six Tigers players who could be gone before the 2027 season, including Jansen and Anderson. The bigger issue now is how much of Detroit’s available offseason spending Harris should commit to keeping them.
Jansen might still have something left in the tank, but paying $12 million for another season of uncertainty in the ninth inning would represent a considerable risk.
The $20 Million Question Is Really About Opportunity Cost
Here is where things get particularly interesting.
Detroit has roughly $85 million in salary commitments for 2027 against an Opening Day payroll that reached approximately $200 million in 2026, according to the club’s early offseason financial outlook. Those figures are preliminary and do not account for every eventual arbitration salary, roster addition or future transaction.
Still, the Tigers appear positioned to have meaningful spending flexibility this winter. Harris must decide whether retaining two familiar pitchers is the smartest use of that flexibility.
Consider the four possible outcomes:
- Keep both Anderson and Jansen: Commit $22 million to two veterans who could fill important pitching roles.
- Keep Anderson, decline Jansen: Commit $12 million, including Jansen’s $2 million buyout, while retaining a potential rotation piece.
- Keep Jansen, decline Anderson: Commit $12 million to the veteran closer while allowing Anderson to enter free agency.
- Decline both options: Pay only Jansen’s $2 million buyout, leaving $20 million more available than exercising both options.
These decisions are not simply about saving money. They are about deciding whether Detroit can get better production by using those dollars differently.
Twenty million dollars could help fund another experienced starting pitcher, multiple bullpen additions, or upgrades elsewhere on the roster. It would not guarantee that Harris could land the players he wants, but it would give him more room to maneuver.
There is also a danger in walking away from both veterans. If Anderson continues pitching like he did late in 2026, Detroit could regret letting a reliable starter leave over a relatively modest one-year commitment.
And if Jansen departs without a dependable replacement, the Tigers could find themselves dealing with the same late-inning problems that contributed to their disappointing season.
What Scott Harris Should Do
From where I sit, the smartest move would be to exercise Anderson’s $10 million option and decline Jansen’s $12 million option.
Anderson offers something Detroit desperately needs: a proven ability to start games, miss bats and move into different pitching roles when necessary. His late-season performance provides enough evidence to justify giving him another opportunity, especially on a one-year commitment.
Jansen is a different story. His experience and career accomplishments are undeniable, but Detroit needs more consistency from its closer if it expects to contend in 2027.
Declining Jansen’s option would not solve the bullpen problem by itself. Harris would still have to identify a reliable replacement, whether through free agency, a trade or an internal promotion.
But spending another $12 million on a closer coming off an inconsistent season does not seem like the best way to move forward.