The Detroit Tigers enter the offseason searching for bullpen upgrades, which makes one seemingly minor March transaction harder to dismiss.
Dylan Smith now offers a useful example of the pitching depth the Tigers need to preserve.
Detroit traded Smith to the San Francisco Giants for cash considerations on March 30 after designating him for assignment. The return included no prospect whose development could eventually offset losing the right-hander.
Smith finished 2026 with a 3.86 ERA and 45 strikeouts across 39.2 innings in 42 appearances for the Giants. Those numbers give Detroit a concrete reason to reconsider the decision.
The evidence supports that discussion without establishing that president of baseball operations Scott Harris privately regrets the trade.
Smith Offers the Kind of Depth Detroit Needs
The Tigers’ need to improve their bullpen extends beyond identifying someone to handle the ninth inning. A stronger relief group also needs pitchers who can absorb work when a starter exits early or the preferred late-inning options need rest.
Smith’s value fits within that broader assignment.
His 1.44 WHIP keeps the argument grounded. He still allows considerable traffic, and his performance does not establish him as a dependable closer. He nevertheless supplies another viable arm for a manager navigating a long schedule.
San Francisco also benefits from his ability to move between Triple-A and the Majors. The club initially optioned him to Sacramento after acquiring him, then recalled him as opportunities developed.
That flexibility matters when evaluating the decision to surrender him. Keeping Smith would have required Detroit to clear a different 40-man spot, but it would not have required carrying him in the Opening Day bullpen.
A player who can remain available in Triple-A has value even when he is not among the preferred eight relievers.
The Roster Crunch Explains the Move Without Settling It
The strongest defense of the trade begins with the circumstances surrounding Smith’s departure.
The Tigers designated him for assignment while making room for Kevin McGonigle. Creating an opportunity for their young infielder was an understandable priority.
Smith also entered the year with only 13 innings of Major League experience. His 1.38 ERA in that limited 2025 audition did not guarantee he could sustain success over a larger workload.
Once Detroit removed him from the roster, accepting cash offered a return rather than risking losing him through waivers.
The more consequential question therefore concerns the decision to make Smith the expendable player in the first place.
His subsequent work gives the Tigers a reason to examine how they weigh developing relievers against other uses of their roster space. The club receives immediate flexibility when it removes a pitcher, but it also surrenders future opportunities to benefit from his progress.
At 26, Smith remains a developing pitcher with shortcomings. His contribution is useful enough to make that lost opportunity relevant to Detroit’s winter planning.
The lesson is to place greater value on affordable bullpen depth before it becomes a need. As the Tigers search for relief help, Smith represents one option they already had.
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