Finnegan and Tigers agree to $19 million, 2-year contract
Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Kyle Finnegan throws during the seventh inning against the Kansas City Royals on Aug. 29 in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, file)
DETROIT (AP) — Right-hander Kyle Finnegan and the Detroit Tigers agreed to a $19 million, two-year contract pending a physical, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the agreement had not been announced.
A 34-year-old who was an All-Star in 2024 when he had a career-high 38 saves, Finnegan was acquired by the Tigers from Washington on July 31 for minor league pitchers Josh Randall and R.J. Sales. He throws mostly fastballs that averaged 96.3 mph this year and splitters, also mixing in some sliders.
Finnegan was 3-0 with a 1.50 ERA and four saves in 16 relief appearances for the Tigers, striking out 23 and walking four in 18 innings. He didn’t pitch for the Tigers between Aug. 31 and Sept. 20 because of a right adductor strain.
He was 4-4 with a 3.47 ERA with 24 saves in 56 relief appearances overall this year, striking out 55 and walking 18 in 57 innings. He had a $6 million, one-year contract that included $4 million in deferred money payable through January 2028.
He is 26-30 with a 3.55 ERA with 112 saves over 347 relief appearances in six seasons with the Nationals (2020-25) and Tigers. He struck out 343 and walked 135 in 347 1/3 innings.
Finnegan is part of a bullpen that includes right-handers Will Vest and Brenan Hanifee, and lefties Tyler Holton and Brant Hurter.
Also on Wednesday, Colorado selected right-hander RJ Petit from Detroit with the first of 13 picks in the Rule 5 draft of unprotected players left off 40-man major league rosters.
Now 26, Petit was taken by the Tigers in the 14th round of the 2021 amateur draft and was 10-2 with a 2.44 ERA in two starts and 45 relief appearances this year for Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo.




