The Detroit Tigers are on a roll right now. They’re leading the American League Central by a wide margin, nine games ahead of everyone else, and overall, things are looking really good for the team this season.
But not everything has been a win.
Despite all the success on the field, the team made a costly mistake during the offseason that’s starting to look worse by the day. In a recent article by Sports Illustrated’s Michael Brauner, Tigers pitcher Alex Cobb was called out as one of the worst contracts in recent memory.
So what happened with the Detroit Tigers signing a deal worth 15 million dollars?
Cobb was signed to a one-year deal worth $15 million, with the chance to earn up to $17 million if he hit certain performance goals. The Tigers gave him that deal based on a few very strong starts he had with the Cleveland Guardians in 2024. While he only pitched three games that season, he had an impressive 2.76 ERA, and the Tigers believed he was worth the risk.
But that bet hasn’t paid off, not even close.
Cobb hasn’t pitched a single game for the Tigers this year. He’s been sidelined with a lingering hip injury since Spring Training, and his recovery hasn’t been going well. In fact, after trying to ramp up his rehab, it had to be paused again. Over the weekend, he reportedly received another injection, a sign that his return is still uncertain.
The problem isn’t just that he’s hurt. It’s that he’s being paid superstar money to sit on the bench. If he were a low-cost veteran on a minimum contract, it would still be a disappointment, but much easier to swallow. But $15 million is a huge chunk of change, especially for a team in the middle of a playoff push.
Brauner even said this deal might’ve been “doomed from the start.” Given Cobb’s age (he’s 37), limited performance last year, and injury concerns, it’s fair to wonder why the Tigers were willing to take such a big financial leap.
Unless Cobb makes a miraculous comeback and delivers a stellar second half, or somehow becomes a playoff hero, this signing could go down as one of the biggest wastes of money during the Tigers’ best chance to compete.
In short, the Tigers might be winning on the field, but off the field, they just burned $15 million on a player who hasn’t played.