Every bullpen has its ups and downs, but for the Detroit Tigers, the recent stretch has been a rollercoaster—and not the fun kind. Sitting at 21st in MLB with a 4.39 ERA, the Tigers' relief corps is facing some serious turbulence, and it's not just the headline-grabbing struggles of future Hall of Famer Kenley Jansen that have fans worried.
Jansen, the 38-year-old closer with 482 career saves (third all-time), has been the center of attention after a tough stretch. On April 22, he was left on the mound for 36 pitches—his highest count since 2011—and in his next two outings, he served up walk-off home runs on pitches right down the middle. That's uncharacteristic for a pitcher who needs just 18 more saves to join the exclusive 500-save club alongside legends Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman. So far in 2026, Jansen has six saves in nine opportunities, putting him on pace for 24 more this season. But for the Tigers to stay competitive, they need their veteran anchor to bounce back.
The bullpen's woes, however, run deeper than Jansen's recent hiccups. Right-handed reliever Will Vest hasn't pitched since April 27, missing the entire series against the Atlanta Braves. Manager A.J. Hinch revealed Friday that Vest is "not 100%," though the issue isn't showing up on the twice-weekly injury report. That's a red flag for a bullpen that's already been "taxed quite a bit," as Hinch put it.
In Thursday's 5-2 win over the Braves, the Tigers turned to Kyle Finnegan—not Jansen or Vest—for the ninth-inning save. Finnegan delivered, shutting down Atlanta for his first save of the season. "We're just trying to win the game as best we can," Hinch said. "It was a quick turnaround for Kenley."
As the Tigers gear up for a three-game set against the Texas Rangers at Comerica Park, the bullpen remains a work in progress. With Vest sidelined and Jansen searching for his groove, Detroit's relief unit will need to dig deep—and maybe get a little lucky—to turn things around. For a team with postseason aspirations, every outing counts, and the Tigers know they can't afford many more blown leads.