Detroit

Tigers

Long opened 2026 in the independent Frontier League after going undrafted out of Harding University in 2025. The Tigers picked him up in late June, and he went on to post a 3.74 ERA and a 44/11 K/BB over 33 2/3 innings in two starts and eight relief appearances between the Complex League and A-ball. Now he’s been one of the most effective pitchers in Arizona, amassing a 1.59 ERA and a 14/6 K/BB in 17 innings, and he looks like someone who could be pretty useful in middle relief.

The 26-year-old hurler was bumped from the Tigers’ 40-man roster earlier in the week. It’s the first time that he has passed through waivers unclaimed. Expect Díaz to receive an invitation to big league camp where he’ll have a shot at competing for a spot in the Tigers’ Opening Day bullpen.

The 6-foot-8 Petit, who had a 2.44 ERA in 66 1/3 innings between Double- and Triple-A in 2025, was the first pick in last year’s Rule 5 draft, but he tore his UCL in March and required Tommy John surgery. The Rockies have decided against putting him back on their 40-man and he cleared waivers, so now he’s back with the Tigers. Assuming they decline to add him to their 40-man later this month, he’ll again be Rule 5 eligible.

McGonigle is the overwhelming favorite to claim the hardware in a year that featured one of the most impressive rookie classes in recent memory. The 22-year-old hitting machine delivered a four-hit performance on Opening Day and never looked back, finishing with a sublime .278/.376/.430 slash line with 97 runs scored, 18 homers, 72 RBI and 12 steals in 707 plate appearances over 156 games. Messick was the best rookie pitcher in baseball this past season, posting a remarkable 2.56 ERA (3.13 xERA), 1.06 WHIP and 193/49 K/BB ratio across 186 1/3 innings over 32 starts. Tolle flashed top-of-the-rotation upside while finishing with an impressive 3.03 ERA (2.69 xERA), 1.10 WHIP and 171/40 K/BB ratio across 148 2/3 innings over 26 starts.

Anderson was an unexpected revelation for the Tigers last year, finishing with a strong 3.67 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 114/43 K/BB ratio across 108 innings of work. The 32-year-old figures to operate in a versatile swingman-type role for Detroit next season.

Jansen receives a $2 million buyout and heads back to the open market. The 39-year-old veteran stopper is just two saves away from joining Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman as the only closers to reach the lofty 500-save plateau. He wound up converting just 22 of 28 saves to go along with an underwhelming 3.20 ERA (3.59 xERA) across 45 innings during his Tigers debut last year. He’s still capable of closing games, but his days as an elite stopper have been over for a couple years.

Waguespack fortifies Detroit’s middle relief mix after posting a stellar 2.49 ERA (3.09 xERA), 0.91 WHIP and 35/18 K/BB ratio across 47 innings this past season. He’ll continue operating in low-leverage spots for the Tigers.

Díaz loses his spot on Detroit’s 40-man roster after allowing 11 runs over six innings of work in the majors this past season.

The deal won’t be made official until the Tigers clear the requisite room on their 40-man roster which could take a day or two. Cheng, 25, appeared in 14 games with the Red Sox in 2026, slashing .256/.318/.282 with zero homers and five RBI in 44 plate appearances. He’ll add infield depth for the Tigers.

Peck, who finished out this year as the Tigers’ primary shortstop, was off to a horrid start in Arizona, going 2-for-35 until busting out yesterday. He’s due some Triple-A time at the start of next year, but he should eventually fit back in with the Tigers as at least a utilityman.