Despite a promising 2025 season, the Tigers quiet offseason raises questions about their strategy-and their readiness to contend again.
IMAGE: Seattle Mariners third base Eugenio Suarez (28) celebrates hitting a home run against the Atlanta Braves during the seventh inning at Truist Park. / Jordan Godfree / Imagn Images
The Detroit Tigers were on the cusp of something special last season. They spent most of 2025 leading the American League, only to see it slip away in the final stretch.
A late-season stumble dropped them into a Wild Card spot-but to their credit, they didn’t fold. They outlasted Cleveland in the Wild Card round and pushed the Seattle Mariners to the brink in a seven-game slugfest, falling just one win short of the ALCS.
Now, with the 2026 offseason unfolding, Detroit has been unusually quiet. While other contenders have been aggressive-adding names like Alex Bregman or swinging big trades like the one that sent Nolan Arenado packing-the Tigers have mostly stood pat. And with each passing day, the options to upgrade their lineup dwindle.
But there’s still one name out there who could move the needle: Eugenio Suárez.
Suárez isn’t just available-he’s the kind of bat that could reshape the middle of Detroit’s order. Last season, splitting time between Seattle and Arizona, he launched 49 home runs and drove in a career-best 118 runs.
That’s not just production-that’s thunder. And for a Tigers team that could use another power threat, it’s a move that makes a lot of sense.
Bringing in Suárez would also have a ripple effect on the roster. Zack McKinstry, who was pushed into everyday duty at third base last year, could shift back into a utility role.
That’s where he’s thrived in the past-moving around the diamond, filling gaps, and providing value off the bench. Letting McKinstry play to his strengths while adding a proven slugger at the hot corner?
That’s a win-win.
And let’s not overlook the added bonus: signing Suárez would take a key piece off the board for one of Detroit’s rivals. The Mariners, who knocked the Tigers out of the postseason, would lose a veteran bat that helped carry their offense. For a Tigers team trying to climb the ladder in the AL, weakening a direct competitor adds another layer of incentive.
Of course, Suárez has some history in Detroit. He played 85 games with the Tigers during his rookie season, and while that was a long time ago, there’s a familiarity there that could ease the transition.
But whether or not there’s a reunion, the reality is clear: if Detroit isn’t going after Suárez, they’d better be using that money wisely somewhere else. Because the third base market is thinning out fast-and the Tigers can’t afford to let another opportunity slip through their fingers.
This team is close. They showed it last October. But if they want to take the next step, standing still isn’t the answer.