2 mistakes Tigers made at 2025 Winter Meetings, 2 they avoided

Things were mostly quiet for the Detroit Tigers and Scott Harris at the Winter Meetings in Orlando. The relative inactivity was in some ways a big failure, though in others the restraint shown avoided some crucial gaffes.

Many of the Tigers' needs remain unsolved, though fortunately, a lot of prime fits for Detroit still remain on the market. How the typically conservative Harris navigates the market to fill those holes from here on out will ultimately determine whether or not this offseason can be considered a victory or an abject failure.

Regardless, from what's happened so far, the Tigers clearly made some mistakes at the annual summit, while also avoiding others.

2 big Tigers' mistakes from the Winter Meetings

Not emphatically shutting down the Tarik Skubal rumors

There's little chance the Tigers can actually shut this down completely and come to terms on an extension with Skubal. Even if they were willing to pony up a record-setting offer, the game's best lefty would be foolish not to try his hand on the open market.

Therefore, to an extent, the rumors are going to simmer no matter what Detroit does. However, Scott Harris's politically correct stance on his willingness to talk trade didn't help matters.

Here's the newsflash: everyone knows an executive will always pick up and listen on a player, even if they're not actively shopping him. Everyone also knows that a player of Skubal's caliber is going to generate calls, even if you categorically deny his availability.

In presenting a wishy-washy stance, Harris further opened the door to rampant speculation. That's the kind of stuff that can wear on both the team and the player, and could actually hurt Detroit's chances of retaining Skubal in the long run. Not only that, but it only serves to weaken the club's position if they do ultimately talk trade.

Not adding a big bat like Pete Alonso (or Kyle Schwarber)

The Detroit Tigers employ a number of good hitters, but no truly great ones. Riley Greene strikes out too much, Spencer Torkelson doesn't make enough contact, Kerry Carpenter is a complementary piece, and the list goes on and on.

A true thumper in the middle of the lineup would have gone a long way. Some pundits thought Detroit was a fit for Kyle Schwarber, despite their preference to rotate through the DH spot. A play for Pete Alonso would have also brought the offensive engine they need, and his presence would have alleviated the consistency concerns that plague Spencer Torkelson, while also giving the Tigers the opportunity to flip the former first overall pick. Given their hesitancy to commit to him long-term, that might have been the best of both worlds.

Instead, the two best power bats on the market are off the board, and while there are still options, none of them are as flawless as Schwarber or Alonso would have been.

2 mistakes the Tigers avoided at the Winter Meetings

They were wise to retain Kyle Finnegan instead of pursuing a shinier option

Finnegan was one of the only bright spots in Detroit's struggling bullpen down the stretch, and things would have spiraled much worse without his 1.50 ERA in the late innings. One can argue that retaining Finnegan alone isn't enough to rectify what was wrong with the bullpen, but it's a great first step.

Furthermore, $19 million over two years is a fair price to pay, especially given the volatility of relievers. Finnegan has been one of the more consistent arms in baseball over the last several years, and while he's not flashy, getting him back at an affordable rate is better than losing him and spending more lavishly on a more expensive option.

Now, Detroit still has the opportunity to pursue another high-end option like Robert Suarez or Pete Fairbanks, but the urgency to overpay has dissipated with Finnegan back in the fold.

Not wasting time with Alex Bregman

It's easy to fixate on a free agent who you might deem to be a perfect fit, and that goes double when the guy is the one who got away, like Alex Bregman. However, this time around, the Tigers are playing it cool.

While that might make last year's pursuit seem more performative than real, there are also other truths to consider. For one, Bregman's interest in Detroit has always seemed lukewarm at best. Furthermore, the Scott Boras client is in no rush as he hopes to extract every penny from the market.

The Tigers have other options at third. None is as proven as Bregman, of course, but Colt Keith, Kevin McGonigle, or Max Anderson could all potentially be hot corner solutions. In the meantime, if Detroit is patient and allows Bregman the time he needs to survey the market, he might find that the Tigers are his best match, and it might come at a relative bargain, too.

In the case of Bregman, you're playing chess, and not checkers, and the side with the most patience is usually the one that comes out on top.