Alex Cobb, Tigers Agree to One-Year Deal

By Nate Miller

Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images

December 10, 2024

DALLAS (Dec. 10) — The Detroit Tigers have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with free agent right-hander Alex Cobb. News of this development was first reported by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The deal is worth a guaranteed $15 million. Cobb would also unlock bonuses at each of 140 and 150 innings. The Tigers’ pitching staff fell apart in last year’s playoff hunt, and the addition of Cobb is a step forward in remedying the chaos.

Looking for Redemption

Alex Cobb will try to follow the bounce-back seasons the Tigers enjoyed from Jack Flaherty and Michael Lorenzen after signing similar contracts the past two off-seasons. Cobb is older than both and has more of an injury history, but he has also had recent success, including an All-Star selection with the San Francisco Giants in 2023.

Cobb returned from injuries, including left hip surgery and a broken fingernail on his pitching hand, to pitch in five games last year for the Cleveland Guardians. Three of those games came in the regular season, two in the postseason after the Giants traded him at the July 30 deadline.

Ground Ball Pitcher

When he is healthy, Cobb is a strong ground-ball pitcher with a near-equal mix of mid-90s sinkers and upper-80s splitters. He ranked in the 90th percentile or better among pitchers in ground-ball rate from 2021-23. He had what would’ve been a career-best 61 percent ground-ball rate last season. Correspondingly, his 20.4 percent line-drive rate was his lowest since 2014.

Every time he takes the mound in 2025, his defense will be involved behind him. The Tigers’ infield posted a 73.1 percent ground-ball out rate, just above the major league average of 73.0 percent according to Sports Info Solutions. Shortstop Trey Sweeney ranked in the 78th percentile among players with two Outs Above Average despite being in the majors for just under two months. Second baseman Colt Keith overcame a slow start defensively and finished at 0 Outs Above Average and plus-1 Fielding Run Value.