Tigers' slew of early offseason moves just telegraphed arguably their biggest need

Pitchers Paul Sewald and José Urquidy became free agents last week after the Detroit Tigers declined their respective options for 2026. This is an important early signal from Scott Harris' front office – and it says more than it seems.

There's a message hidden in the departures of Urquidy and Sewald. The Tigers are effectively admitting they can’t count on patchwork depth to survive 162 games and contend in October, and they plan to do something about it.

Detroit's decision to decline their options is not simply a financial housekeeping move. It’s a neon sign flashing their offseason priority: rebuilding and reinforcing their pitching depth, both in the rotation and bullpen.

Tigers send clear message regarding biggest offseason need with early pitching moves

Both Urquidy and Sewald were short-term depth solutions for the Tigers – mid-tier, stopgap veterans meant to stabilize a staff in flux. Urquidy was brought in during spring training as low-risk insurance, but persistent durability concerns and middling results limited his value. Declining his option indicates the Tigers are no longer satisfied with innings eaters; they need legitimate rotation reliability, not placeholders or high upside.

Sewald, acquired from the Cleveland Guardians in July, was a calculated attempt to solidify the back end of the bullpen for the playoff chase. Declining his option – despite his track record as a proven late-inning reliever – shows Detroit isn’t looking to patch the bullpen anymore; they want to rebuild the hierarchy from within and target a true high-leverage anchor, ideally one with multiple years of control.

By clearing both contracts early, Harris effectively created payroll and roster flexibility to pursue new pitching targets. Detroit now has the space to do three things: add a mid-rotation veteran who can absorb 150-plus innings, acquire a high-octane bullpen piece with strikeout upside and late-inning experience, and re-evaluate depth options to avoid the "band-aid" approach of the last two years.

For Detroit, this marks a philosophical pivot. The Tigers aren’t content with “good enough arms.” They’re admitting that pitching chaos does not equal pitching strength, and now they’ll presumably spend the winter trying to close that gap. Essentially, the front office sees the same thing the fanbase does: Tarik Skubal alone can’t lift the staff.

By cutting ties with Urquidy and Sewald early, the Tigers effectively told the league: “We’re resetting our pitching blueprint, and we know that’s part of what’s holding us back.” This offseason will likely define whether Detroit truly evolves from "scrappy upstart" to "legit AL contender," and it will start – as it always does in Motown – on the mound.