Tigers Eyeing Pitching Upgrades: Buehler, Gibson, and Heaney on Radar

The Detroit Tigers are actively seeking to bolster their rotation this offseason, with three potential targets emerging on their radar. According to Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press, the Tigers are showing interest in right-handers Walker Buehler and Kyle Gibson, as well as left-hander Andrew Heaney.


Of the three, Walker Buehler stands out as the most prominent name. Despite a challenging, injury-plagued season, Buehler was an ace-caliber pitcher when last healthy in 2021. From 2018-21, Buehler posted a 2.82 ERA and a 3.56 SIERA over 564 innings, with his 14.4 FanGraphs WAR ranking 14th among all pitchers during that period. Now 30 years old and further removed from Tommy John surgery, Buehler is considered a top bounce-back candidate on the free-agent market. His strong postseason performance, which included 10 scoreless innings between the NLCS and the World Series, further bolsters his case.


Given Buehler's high upside, he may seek a longer-term commitment. Initially, MLBTR staff predicted a one-year, $15 million contract for Buehler, but a two-year deal with an opt-out is also a possibility. Petzold suggests that Buehler's desired terms might exceed what the Tigers are willing to offer, as they ideally prefer a one-year deal.


If Buehler proves too costly, Detroit could pivot to Kyle Gibson or Andrew Heaney. Gibson appears more likely to sign a one-year contract. Both Gibson and Heaney were listed on MLBTR's Top 50 Free Agents: Heaney at No. 25 and Gibson at No. 41. The staff predicted a two-year, $24 million deal for Heaney and a one-year, $13 million deal for Gibson. Gibson's slightly higher AAV prediction reflects his longer track record of success, though at 37 years old, he's unlikely to secure a multi-year deal. Heaney, who turns 34 next June, could feasibly land a two-year commitment, especially given the favorable market for mid-tier starting pitchers.


With the likes of Luis Severino, Yusei Kikuchi, Frankie Montas, and Matthew Boyd all signing for more guaranteed money than predicted, the Tigers will need to navigate the market carefully to land the right pitching upgrades for the upcoming season.