Hidden Tigers' pitching prospect could sneak onto Opening Day roster thanks to Padres

Mapping out the final spots on the pitching staff is among the top storylines for the Detroit Tigers during spring training. The bullpen will be anchored by Kenley Jansen and Kyle Finnegan, but there's a spot or two up for grabs. As it turns out, the decisions on the Tigers' Opening Day roster could be influenced by who they play, the San Diego Padres.

The Padres' starting lineup figures to be littered with right-handed hitters. Between Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, and the recently acquired Nick Castellanos, San Diego thrives on the right side of the plate. Bullpens are always fluid throughout the regular season, and playing the Padres to start the year could determine the initial construction of the Tigers' bullpen.

MLB.com's Jason Beck was recently tasked with naming the dark horse candidate to make Detroit's Opening Day roster, and he pointed in the direction of right-handed pitcher Matt Seelinger.

The Tigers grabbed the former Pittsburgh Pirates draft pick out of the Independent scene in 2024, and the 30-year-old spent most of the 2025 season at the Triple-A level. He posted an ERA of 3.11 in 36 appearances while striking out over 28% of the hitters he faced.

Matt Seelinger could break camp with the Tigers if Detroit prioritizes matchups on Opening Day

Now, unfortunately, Seelinger had a rough 2026 debut in spring training. In his first appearance, he only recorded one out while giving up five runs on four walks and one hit. He only faced six batters. Needless to say, Seelinger will need to quickly erase that outing from his memory if he is going to have a chance at making the Tigers' Opening Day roster.

If not Seelinger, another candidate to sneak onto the Tigers' Opening Day roster could be Phil Bickford. Bickford inked a minor-league deal with Detroit last month and posted similar Triple-A numbers to Seelinger last year. He's had stops in the majors with the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees in the past, and again, could be an ideal candidate for the Tigers if A.J. Hinch wants to play the matchup game immediately once Opening Day arrives.