The Detroit Tigers parted ways with right-handed reliever Tanner Rainey.
It didn't take long for them to find each other again.
The Tigers re-signed right-handed reliever Tanner Rainey on Wednesday, Nov. 26, to a minor league contract with a non-roster invitation to spring training, according to a person with knowledge of the agreement. The 32-year-old will earn $1.3 million if he makes the MLB roster.
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Detroit Tigers pitcher Tanner Rainey walks off the field for pitching change against Atlanta Braves during the ninth inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025.The Tigers designated Rainey for assignment Nov. 18 to clear a spot on the 40-man roster, then non-tendered him Nov. 21 to send him into free agency. Five days later, Rainey re-signed with the Tigers for the 2026 season.
He will report to Triple-A Toledo if he doesn't make the Opening Day roster out of spring training.
Rainey – a 2019 World Series champion – had been projected to earn $1.6 million in arbitration, according to MLB Trade Rumors, so the Tigers opted to non-tendered him and bring him back on a non-guaranteed deal for less than that figure.
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In 2025, Rainey pitched two innings for the Tigers.
He allowed three runs on one hit and three walks with two strikeouts across those two innings, spanning two appearances. He joined the Tigers in late September to finish out the regular season, but he wasn't included on the postseason roster.
Rainey also produced a 2.66 ERA with 14 walks and 33 strikeouts over 23⅔ innings in 19 outings for Triple-A Toledo.
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AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementRainey, who turns 33 on Christmas, owns a 5.52 ERA across 199 innings in 211 games in his eight-year MLB career, with a below-average 15% walk rate but an above-average 27.6% strikeout rate. His biggest issue has always been the walks.
He initially signed with the Tigers in mid-July.
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Before that, Rainey pitched for the Cincinnati Reds (2018), Washington Nationals (2019-24) and Pittsburgh Pirates (2025). He throws a four-seam fastball, slider and changeup, though he relies exclusively on the fastball and slider.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHe threw 62.3% fastballs in Triple-A with the Pirates, then 69.4% fastballs in Triple-A with the Tigers. The key development: His fastball whiff rate spiked from 18% with the Pirates to 34% with the Tigers, all while his slider continued to miss bats.
For context, the Triple-A average fastball whiff rate is just 22.8%.
Contact Evan Petzold at [email protected] or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers re-sign Tanner Rainey to minor league contract
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