Dodgers-Blue Jays World Series just exposed Tigers' need for major offseason upgrade

The Dodgers-Blue Jays World Series has not disappointed, and in Game 3 they put on a show that sort of blew the Tigers' 15-inning saga against the Mariners in the ALDS out of the water.

On Monday, LA and Toronto completed 18 innings of baseball in a six-hour, 39-minute classic. Both teams completely emptied their bullpens and almost their benches and put forth of the worst and best defense you've ever seen before Freddie Freeman finally walked it off for the Dodgers in the bottom of the 18th with a solo homer.

The biggest individual story to come out of that game wasn't Freeman's, though. Eric Lauer of the Blue Jays and Will Klein of the Dodgers — two pitchers you've probably never heard of — pitched 4 2/3 and four innings respectively. Klein, who had been DFA'd twice in the regular season, threw a career-high 72 pitches and was credited with the win.

It exposed the Tigers' need for a huge upgrade in the offseason. Tyler Holton, the Tigers' do-it-all reliever who had a breakthrough in 2024, has pitched as many as three innings out of the bullpen and often does it a few times per season, but after his somewhat inconsistent season, Detroit might need to look for alternative options.

Tigers should upgrade from Tyler Holton for long relief in the offseason

Relievers who are as versatile as Holton are sort of hard to come by, but the Tigers don't necessarily have to look to the free agent or trade market to replace him.

It seems unlikely that Keider Montero is going to cut it in the Tigers' rotation, even if/when Tarik Skubal leaves, but he's been a solid in some long relief outings behind a bullpen opener. He pitched up to 5 2/3 innings in long relief during the 2025 regular season and had a few gritty 2+ inning appearances in the postseason. Brant Hurter, a lefty like Holton, also pitched up to three innings in a few regular season outings.

There was an element of luck for the Blue Jays and Dodgers that Lauer and Klein were as successful as they were, given that Lauer was the second-to-last man in Toronto's bullpen and Klein was the last man in LA's, but the Tigers need a guy who can bear down in the same way and come up when it matters most. Holton, who gave up the Mariners' game-tying RBI single in Game 5 of the ALDS, might not be that guy. He's at least a start, though, and the Tigers shouldn't hesitate to find a better option.