Tigers losing AL arms race as Blue Jays snag another affordable free agent fit

The Blue Jays gave out their fourth multi-year deal of the offseason on Saturday when they signed Japanese free agent Kazuma Okamoto to a four-year, $60 million deal with a $5 million signing bonus (and, surprisingly, no opt-outs). Last year's World Series runner-ups are deathly serious about not suffering the same fate in 2026.

The Tigers were never mentioned in the same breath as Okamoto, even though they should've been, and fans identified him as a solid fit for Detroit. He's a few years older than Munetaka Murakami, who the Tigers also let get away to the White Sox on a very affordable deal, and doesn't have the same massive power potential, but he is a far more defensively sound infielder and his offensive success has looked far more sustainable.

Detroit, as always, doesn't have a clear third baseman, and it seems like that's something they're willing to make peace with. They're seemingly entirely out on Alex Bregman and arently entirely likely to add a bat via free agency at all.

$60 million with no opt-outs may end up being an overpay for such a wild card, but Okamoto's deal was far from unaffordable or beyond the pale even for a team as allergic to spending as the Tigers.

Tigers should have been in the conversation for Kazuma Okamoto before he signed with the Blue Jays

If you want even further evidence as to how lackluster the Tigers' offseason has been, just look at the Pirates. There were reported to be a finalist for Okamoto before he ended up with the Blue Jays, who were hardly in the mix until the final stretch. Pittsburgh has, shockingly, gotten serious this offseason, and have added Brandon Lowe in a trade with the Rays as well as top prospect Jhostynxon Garcia from the Red Sox, and signed Gregory Soto and Ryan O'Hearn.

Of course, the Pirates had a lot more work to do this offseason than the Tigers, and they still have some glaring weaknesses, but they've done some serious work and actually (finally) seem to be building around Paul Skenes.

The Tigers signed three pitchers (and one of them was re-signed) and ostensibly called it an offseason. Okamoto would've presented a risk to any team he ended up signing with, but if the Tigers are so sure that they can keep Drew Anderson's momentum from the KBO going, why couldn't they do that with Okamoto, who has a more consistent history and would've come with far greater reward?