The Detroit Tigers made a stunning postseason run, securing the third American League Wild Card spot, where they eliminated the Houston Astros in the first round and took the Cleveland Guardians to a Game 5 in the ALDS.
This offseason, the Tigers are focused on strengthening their pitching staff, particularly by adding an elite arm to complement Tarik Skubal. In his projections for the 2025 Opening Day rotations, Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report suggested that the Tigers could be a fit for Walker Buehler, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ World Series hero. Reuter noted, “The Tigers took a chance on Jack Flaherty with a one-year deal last offseason, and it paid off, so they may look for another high-risk, high-reward pitching project this winter.” He highlighted Buehler as a prime candidate, noting that many teams will be pursuing him.
Buehler, who struggled with a 1-6 record and a 5.38 ERA during the regular season, made up for it with a spectacular postseason, including standout performances in the NLCS and World Series, culminating in a clinching Game 5 win over the New York Yankees.
MLB Trade Rumors projected Buehler would sign a one-year, $15 million contract, which the Tigers could certainly afford. Losing Buehler wouldn’t significantly impact the Dodgers, especially after signing Blake Snell, but it would be a major win for Detroit. With their strong second-half performance and playoff appearance, the Tigers are eyeing a World Series run and could greatly benefit from Buehler’s big-game experience and postseason pedigree to boost their pitching rotation.