The Detroit Tigers signed veteran closing pitcher Kenley Jansen during the offseason to strengthen the back end of their bullpen. The initial plan was to have Jansen, Will Vest, and Kyle Finnegan form a formidable trio for Detroit. However, those plans did not materialize as expected.
When Vest went down with his injuries and the bulk of the late innings were turned over to Finnegan and Jansen, the Tigers became known as one of the worst bullpens in Major League Baseball. The future Hall of Famer, Jansen, may have finished the season with a 3.20 ERA, but he also blew six saves.
The bullpen is the main concern for the Tigers going into the offseason, having blown several late-inning leads that played a huge part in Detroit missing the playoffs. With Jansen aging, the front office has a decision to make on Jansen and his contract in 2027.
Jansen made $11 million with the Tigers in 2026 and has a club option of $12 million for 2027. The ball is in Detroit's court, and after a strugglesome 2026 and his latest projection, if he hits the free-agent market, it might be best for the franchise to move on.
Jansen's Projected Market Value
According to Spotrac.com, Jansen holds a market value of a one-year contract worth $6 million. For the Tigers, knowing that Jansen is projected to be worse now than he was when he was signed last offseason, it should be easy for Detroit to let the veteran hit the open market again.
If Jansen's club option doesn't get picked up, the Tigers will have to pay him $2 million as a buyout. Essentially, if Detroit doesn't want Jansen, they'll be paying him $2 million to test his luck somewhere else. With Jansen eyeing 500 career saves, should the option be declined, he'll easily get picked up in free agency.
Jansen still has the ability to come through in the clutch, but he's not worth the money that's currently an option on the table. Jansen's pitches have been decreasing in velocity since 2025; he allowed seven home runs, eerily similar to the six blown saves he had.
The Tigers are in need of financial resources for signing players, especially since they are not considered a top-spending franchise. With several players approaching arbitration and some money becoming available from the team's free agents hitting the market in 2027, Detroit must use their budget wisely.
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