Tigers make shocking roster decision with 2024 closer after spring training struggles

The Tigers' bullpen deserves the bulk of the credit for the team's late-season success in 2024. After the trade deadline, Detroit was left with two healthy starters in Tarik Skubal and Keider Montero, so AJ Hinch employed "pitching chaos" that stacked the schedule with openers and long relievers.

Late call-ups Sean Guenther, Brenan Hanifee, Ty Madden, and Brant Hurter were huge contributors, but everything really hinged on four guys: Beau Brieske, Will Vest, Tyler Holton, and Jason Foley, who all came to life in September. Brieske, Vest, and Holton all pitched to sub-1.50 ERAs (Brieske and Holton were at 1.06); Foley struggled a little more, but he added nine saves to his resume in September (in 10 opportunities) and didn't give up a single earned run throughout August.

The Tigers had a lot of questions to answer going into 2025, but the bullpen seemed like the most reassuring part of the roster. They signed Tommy Kahnle and John Brebbia in the offseason to add some experience, but there were a lot of expectations riding on that core four for a repeat performance.

However, cracks have already begun to show. On Wednesday, the Tigers optioned Foley, who was probably going to get the bulk of Detroit's saves, to Triple-A.

Tigers option 2024 closer Jason Foley to Triple-A after racking up 6.14 ERA in spring training

The news, while a huge blow to the bullpen, popped up in rather inconspicuous fashion, and fans noticed it on the Tigers' MLB transaction page before the team could even officially announce the move.

It makes some sense if you look at how Foley's been faring in spring training. In 7 1/3 innings, he has a 6.14 ERA after a particularly catastrophic 1/3 of an inning against the Blue Jays, when he gave up four hits and three runs. He added another bad one against the Yankees a couple days later when he gave up two runs. Although his record looks pretty shiny otherwise — he had 10 strikeouts and didn't give up a single walk — the Tigers must not've liked what they saw when he was getting blown up. Truth is, they have enough pitchers to allow Foley to work through whatever problems he's enduring.

With Foley and Keider Montero now both optioned to Triple-A, that leaves the eight-man bullpen with Kahnle, Brebbia, Brieske, Vest, Holton, Kenta Maeda, and two more of Guenther, Hanifee, Madden, and Hurter. Still solid, but it leaves the Tigers without an obvious option for a closer, and it definitely doesn't make the bullpen look as fortified as originally thought.