Tigers decline options on veteran pitchers, claim reliever, extend qualifying offer to Torres
Detroit – The Tigers Thursday cut ties with two veteran right-handed pitchers and claimed another off waivers.
They declined a $10 million option on reliever Paul Sewald and a $4 million option on starter Jose Urquidy. And they claimed 27-year-old reliever Jack Little from the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Tigers took fliers on both Sewald and Urquidy while they were recovering from injuries last season.
They acquired 35-year-old Sewald from the Guardians at the trade deadline as he was working his way back from a shoulder injury.
He ended up pitching in four regular season games for the Tigers, covering 4.1 innings. He was on the roster for the Wild Card Series but did not pitch in any of the three games.
The $10 million option on his contract was mutual. Sewald picked up his option but the Tigers did not, exercising a $1 million buyout. Sewald is now a free agent.
The Tigers signed the 30-year-old Urquidy last March while he was recovering from Tommy John surgery. He also made it back in September, pitching in two games. In a press conference in Mexico on Wednesday, he told reporters that the Tigers did not pick up his option and he was entering free agency.
Little, a fifth-round pick of the Dodgers in 2019, made his big-league debut with the Dodgers last July and pitched in two games before he was placed on waivers in July and picked up by the Pirates. He finished last season with Triple-A Indianapolis.
He throws sliders and splitters off a 94-mph four-seam fastball.
Earlier in the week, starting pitcher Jack Flaherty announced he was exercising his $20 million option and returning to the Tigers’ rotation in 2026.
The Tigers also extended a qualifying offer to free agent second baseman Gleyber Torres. The qualifying offer is worth just over $22 million for 2026. Torres is entering his age-29 season and recently underwent sports hernia surgery.
He has until Nov. 18 to accept or decline the offer. If he declines and becomes a free agent, the Tigers get compensatory draft pick in 2026.
Before the surgery, industry free agent projections had Torres being worth close to $60 million over three years.
Also on Thursday, the Tigers restored six pitchers who finished season on the 60-day injured list to the 40-man roster: Beau Brieske, Jason Foley, Sean Guenther, Jackson Jobe, Ty Madden and Reese Olson.
With Little and those six pitchers, the club’s 40-man roster is presently full.
Chris.McCosky@detroitnews.com
@cmccosky
