Veteran reliever Finnegan returning to Tigers on 2-year deal (source)

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Tigers’ revamped bullpen is getting a big piece back. Detroit reached an agreement on Tuesday to bring back Kyle Finnegan on a two-year contract worth $19 million, pending a physical, sources told MLB.com.

The Tigers have not confirmed the deal, which was first reported by The Athletic.

The 34-year-old Finnegan joined the Tigers at the Trade Deadline from Washington, where he spent the first 5 1/2 years of his Major League career, including 108 saves. The Detroit-born, Texas-raised right-hander didn’t take over the closer role with the Tigers, but fit right into manager A.J. Hinch’s mix-and-match bullpen, racking up four saves in 16 regular-season appearances while allowing just three runs on nine hits over 18 innings with a 23-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

It was one of the best stretches of Finnegan’s career, including a big boost in strikeout rate for a pitcher who previously averaged less than a strikeout per inning.

Both Finnegan and the Tigers expressed interest in a reunion at season’s end, but Finnegan’s strong finish made him a coveted free agent in a bullpen market that heated up quickly. Once free-agent closers Ryan Helsley, Devin Williams and Edwin Díaz signed lucrative multi-year deals, Finnegan loomed as one of the top relievers left on the market.

Finnegan is the first free-agent reliever to agree to a multi-year contract with the Tigers since Andrew Chafin signed a two-year, $13 million contract after the 2021 season. That contract had an opt-out, which Chafin exercised after the 2022 season. Before that, Mark Lowe signed a two-year deal before the 2016 season.

Finnegan joins Will Vest, Tyler Holton, Brenan Hanifee and Brant Hurter as key returning members of the Tigers bullpen. The Tigers are expected to continue pursuing relievers to add to their circle of trust in high-leverage situations.