Complete breakdown of Tigers' 2026 payroll after Justin Verlander, Framber Valdez deals

It took a little while, but the Tigers finally got their offseason going. In the final days leading up to spring training, they signed Framber Valdez, the final major free agent left on the board. This already gave them a respectable grade for the winter, but the recent Justin Verlander deal was an unexpected surprise at the eleventh hour.

This spending bonanza sent payroll skyrocketing. The Verlander deal will cost the team just $13 million, the large majority of which will be deferred, but the Valdez contract will cost Detroit $115 million over three years. Throw in Tarik Skubal's historic arbitration salary and you have a total 40-man payroll north of $200 million, more than double what it was in 2024. But where is all of this money going?

The Tigers' roster is quite top-heavy. According to Cot's Contracts, the five highest salaries next year are all at least $20 million and go as follows:

1. Tarik Skubal: $32 million
2. Javier Báez: $24 million
3. Framber Valdez: $22.83 million
4. Gleyber Torres: $22.03 million
5. Jack Flaherty: $20 million

Breaking down the Tigers' payroll after Framber Valdez, Justin Verlander deals, Tarik Skubal's arbitration victory

These five players represent more than $120 million of payroll commitments, and not all of it is necessarily well spent. Jack Flaherty and Javier Báez are both players whose production in 2025 didn't necessarily warrant their high salaries and will be difficult to move as a result. Torres opted to accept the team's qualifying offer despite having a productive season, meaning he'll hit free agency at the end of the year.

The other notable names on next year's payroll are Kenley Jansen ($9 million), Kyle Finnegan ($8.75 million), and Drew Anderson ($7 million), all of whom were signed this offseason to bolster the pitching staff. With the exception of Colt Keith, the vast majority of the roster are still in their arbitration years, keeping their salaries nice and affordable for the next few years.

As things stand, the Tigers have a higher payroll than several notable teams, such as the Boston Red Sox ($190.1 million), Texas Rangers ($185.2 million), and San Francisco Giants ($167.6 million). It's a surprising financial position for an organization that not too long ago was at the bottom of the barrel in terms of spending and competitiveness. Their luxury tax payroll of $239.3 million is just under the 2026 threshold of $244 million but still ranks 9th in MLB.

More than anything, it seems like a return to form for a franchise that ran the AL Central in the early 2010s. With back-to-back trips to the ALDS and hard-fought exits in both years, it seems like the Tigers have been just a few key pieces away from making a more meaningful run. Now that they've got $200 million worth of talent, it finally seems like they've shed their underdog identity and have returned to their true status as championship contenders.