The Detroit Tigers declined their $12 million option on closer Kenley Jansen, paying a $2 million buyout to make the 39-year-old right-hander a free agent. Detroit also picked up a $10 million option on right-hander Drew Anderson and re-signed reliever Jacob Waguespack to a one-year major league contract.
Anderson returns for a second season in Detroit after his original one-year deal last winter included the $10 million option with no buyout attached. Waguespack’s new deal is worth $1.3 million, with up to $200,000 more available in innings-based bonuses.
The Terms Behind Each Move
Jansen’s departure cost Detroit a $2 million buyout rather than the $12 million the option would have paid. Anderson’s $10 million option, agreed to as part of his original contract, carried no buyout provision, meaning the Tigers owed nothing extra to walk away from it. Waguespack’s new one-year contract guarantees him $1.3 million with incentive language tied to innings pitched that could add another $200,000.
Waguespack arrived in Detroit’s system in June, acquired from Milwaukee for cash after pitching in the Brewers’ farm system. He made an immediate impact at the major league level, posting a 2.49 ERA with a 2-2 record across 47 innings, allowing 25 hits with 18 walks and 35 strikeouts.
Why Detroit Made These Decisions
Jansen’s overall 2026 numbers, 22 saves and a 3.20 ERA with 4.8 hits allowed per nine innings, looked respectable on the surface. The underlying numbers told a different story. He blew six saves and lost two extra-inning games after entering tied, and his 23 walks in 45 innings marked the third-highest walk rate of his career.
His second-worst career homer rate included seven home runs allowed, four of them walk-offs, with six of the seven coming in high-leverage spots. Opponents posted a .714 OPS against Jansen in high-leverage situations compared to .551 in medium leverage and .381 in low leverage, a split that shows his performance eroded sharply when games were on the line.
Jansen did pitch better as the season progressed, posting a 2.40 ERA with 32 strikeouts over his final 30 innings from June onward. That stretch was not enough to offset the walk and leverage issues that defined his overall season.
Anderson’s return reflects a different calculation. He moved into Detroit’s rotation full-time following the trades of Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize, filling a need that emerged only after those deals reshaped the pitching staff. Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris explained why the club values Anderson’s addition given the unusual scouting challenge he presented.
“I think we’re really proud of bringing Drew here, because that evaluation wasn’t all that easy,” Harris said. “He was pitching in Korea, so part of it is evaluating the type of pitcher that he was in Korea, and part of it is trying to translate his stuff to the big things with a different ball, different environment, different hitters, different schedule, all of that stuff.”
What It Means For Detroit’s Bullpen
Jansen’s exit leaves an opening at closer that the Tigers have internal options to fill. Will Vest led the team in saves in 2025 but underwent hip surgery and a separate procedure to repair a stress fracture at the tip of his elbow. Tyler Holton recorded two saves in 2026 and eight back in 2024, giving Detroit another arm with some ninth-inning experience to consider.
The free-agent closer market this winter includes David Bednar, 36-year-old Raisel Iglesias and Gregory Soto, names the Tigers could look to if they pursue outside help rather than relying solely on internal arms.
What’s Next
Jansen now enters free agency alongside other available closers as Detroit decides how to handle its ninth-inning role for 2027. Anderson is set to remain in the rotation after his option exercise, while Waguespack’s one-year deal locks him into the bullpen mix for the coming season. Further roster moves for Detroit’s pitching staff figure to follow as the offseason continues.
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