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.