What does the Tigers bullpen pitching depth look like?

We are a week-and-a-half into the MLB season, and it’s not a bad idea to go over a few guys the Tigers can use in the bullpen at some point this season.

Beau Brieske was the first domino to fall on the big league pitching staff when he was placed on the 60-day injured list days before Opening Day. This led to the signing of right-hander Connor Seabold.

Over the weekend, Justin Verlander landed himself on the 15-day injured list with left hip inflammation, leading to the call-up of Keider Montero, who will remain as a starting pitcher for the time being.

The Toledo Mud Hens’ pitching staff boasts a wealth of experience, with an average age of 28.6 years among the staff. Eleven of the pitchers on the active roster for the Mud Hens have some sort of experience in the major leagues. Tenures range from a few innings tossed to being the closing pitcher of a big league franchise.

Brenan Hanifee – 

After Dylan Smith’s departure to the San Francisco Giants, Brenan Hanifee became the last remaining healthy right-handed reliever on the 40-man roster that is absent from Detroit. Hanifee was the odd man out of spring training, being the last player optioned before opening day. Last season in Detroit, he pitched 60 innings of 3.00 ERA ball, achieving a ground ball rate of 55.4%. Solidified as a reliable reliever, Hanifee should be the next man up when the arm barn in Detroit is in need.

Drew Sommers – 

The hefty southpaw made his debut for Detroit last summer after being acquired for former first-round pick Alex Faedo in the winter. Sommers was called up in the midst of the Tigers’ late summer pitching crisis. He appeared in four games and gave up six earned runs in three innings before being sent down to Toledo. Sommers has gotten off to a hot start in his four innings pitched, striking out nine and getting a 30% whiff rate on his hard-breaking sinker. The Tigers currently have three left-handed pitchers in the bullpen (de Jesus, Holton, Hurter), making Sommers the next man up if one goes down.

Tyler Mattison –

Drafted in the sixth round of the 2021 MLB Draft, Tyler Mattison is healthy on Opening Day for the first time since 2023. He underwent Tommy John surgery in March of 2024 and didn’t appear in another game till the end of May 2025. The 26-year-old was added to the 40-man roster at the conclusion of the 2024 season but was designated for assignment last November. Mattison had a short, but effective spring training and has continued to pitch well in a small sample size, punching out 31.3% of batters faced. One thing to note: Mattison’s fastball is down a tick-and-a-half to start the season, although cold temperatures at the beginning of the season can be a factor. The Bryant University alum can make his major league debut if an opportunity opens up in Detroit and he stays the course.

Burch Smith – 

Smith signed a minor league contract in the offseason that includes $1.5 million if he makes the big league roster. He is a guy who has pitched anywhere and everywhere. Burch Smith has two separate three-plus-year gaps in his professional career, with the second including stops in Korea and Japan. He made his MLB debut in 2013 with the San Diego Padres and is the oldest member of the Mud Hens, turning 36 on Sunday. Smith had a productive spring training, holding opposing teams to just two runs in 7.2 innings. He carried this performance over to the Glass City, where he has allowed only one hit in 4.2 innings while striking out eight batters. Burch Smith is a solid depth piece that can be used if injuries get out of control.

Ricky Vanasco – 

Vanasco made two brief relief appearances in 2024 shortly after being acquired from the Dodgers at the trade deadline. He has been listed on the Mud Hens opening day roster two seasons in a row. The 27-year-old right-hander is effective on the mound when he’s able to fill up the zone and limit free passes. In five innings in Toledo, Vanasco has sent nine batters back to the dugout via strikeout while not yielding a run. His fastball holds a whiff rate of 36.8%, leading to a strikeout rate of 45%. When strikes become consistent, Vanasco becomes a force on the mound. Opposing batters are making contact just a mere 64% of the time when a strike is thrown. Ricky Vanasco’s big league future likely relies more on his performance in AAA rather than availability in Detroit.