The Detroit Tigers are heading into a weird offseason. With trade rumors swirling around Tarik Skubal, coming off a strong postseason appearance, the Tigers could take two different paths.
A sell-off of Skubal could open the window to a reset year, or the Tigers could go out and spend some money to try and make the most of what could be Skubal's final year in Detroit.
ESPN insider Jeff Passan has a strong stance for the Tigers, and one that would entail making the "perfect" offseason addition to the roster in the form of a Toronto Blue Jays free agent infielder.
Tigers urged to sign Bo Bichette in free agency
"As good as Detroit's farm system is," Passan writes, "... Adding a long-term, middle-of-the-order, impact bat is never a bad idea. There happens to be one who can spend a year or two at shortstop if necessary and then pivot to second base long term. Sign free agent infielder Bo Bichette."
Adding a veteran infielder like Bichette would be a huge help to the Tigers' offense. While the pitching staff, led by Skubal, was strong for Detroit in 2025, the offense lagged behind.
One of the main areas of concern was at shortstop. Trey Sweeney hit.196 with a.548 OPS, while Javier Baez struggled in the second half as a utility infielder/outfielder.
Instead of utilizing a rotation of players at a position of importance, signing Bichette, even if it's just until Kevin McGonigle or another player takes over, would be a smart move for the Tigers to make.
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The Blue Jays All-Star is 27 years old and is coming off a very strong season for Toronto. He had a.311 batting average with an.840 OPS in 139 games played. In the playoffs, after missing the ALDS and ALCS, Bichette had a.923 OPS in the World Series.
They have a few interesting prospects who can be huge pieces of the team going forward, but if there was one area to improve, especially with Gleyber Torres a free agent, it would be the middle infield spots.
Even if Bichette winds up at second base, he'd be a huge boost for the Tigers' offense. It won't come cheap, and a Bichette deal might be a bit of an unlikely signing for the Tigers to make, but as Passan mentioned, it'd be the "perfect" move to make.
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