After getting by with mostly unproven arms during their 2024 playoff run, the Tigers’ bullpen regressed in 2025. Remember how Tyler Holton was ordinary, Beau Brieske wasn’t exactly reliable, and the rest of the bullpen looked more like depth pieces than real answers? Because of that, it felt inevitable that the Tigers would go shopping for a dependable closer.

And they did just that by bringing back Kyle Finnegan on a two-year, $19 million deal. But it wasn’t the signing itself that shocked fans, but the move that followed. Reportedly, to clear a roster spot for Finnegan, the Tigers designated Justyn-Henry Malloy for assignment, and that decision didn’t sit well with the fanbase.

Letting go of Malloy to make room for a reliever has left a lot of people scratching their heads, and honestly, there are plenty of reasons why.

“To make room for RHP Kyle Finnegan on the 40-man roster, OF Justyn-Henry Malloy has been designated for assignment,” Tigers PR reports.

Well, Finnegan is usually one of the steadier relievers you’ll find. Reportedly, in each of his six pro seasons, he’s posted an ERA under 4.00 with a solid strikeout rate, even if some of the underlying metrics give you a little pause. He made the All-Star team in 2024, but his 2025 season was more fine than flashy. He finished 4–4 with a 3.47 ERA and 24 saves across 56 appearances, striking out 55 while walking 18 in 57 innings.

What really sticks with fans, though, are the rough moments.

If you remember, on July 12, Finnegan gave up three runs on three hits, and the Brewers walked off the Nationals 6–5 to complete a series sweep. Add in the injury concerns, he’s coming off a right adductor strain that landed him on the 15-day IL in September. So yes, the skepticism starts to make sense.

That’s why the corresponding move raised so many eyebrows. The Tigers cleared space for Finnegan by designating Justyn-Henry Malloy, a player who hit .322 with a .453 OBP in the minors in 2025.

Sure, Malloy has struggled at times in the majors, but he still managed a .656 OPS with nine homers, 38 RBIs, 33 runs, and a steal over 123 games and 357 plate appearances. And with Malloy seemingly on the verge of taking a real step forward in 2026, fans can’t help but wonder why Detroit chose to move on from a rising 24-year-old bat in favor of a 34-year-old closer.

The fans are left concerned about letting Justyn-Henry Malloy go

While Mallow scored good stats in the minors this year, the Tigers still have not found enough out of him. “.322 avg .453 OBP at AAA. Just saying,” one fan recalled Malloy’s stats. “You DFA Malloy with Parker “useless bat” Meadows still on the roster? Joke franchise,” Added another.

Whether it’s the majors or the minors, hitting .322 is no small feat, and that’s exactly what Malloy did. That’s why fans are having such a hard time wrapping their heads around this move. Especially when you look at the other decisions on the roster. The Tigers, for example, held onto Meadows, who hit just .215 with 4 HRs this season.

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That said, Meadows’ value goes well beyond his bat. His defense is a big reason he’s still in Detroit. He consistently grades as an above-average center fielder, posting strong numbers in Outs Above Average and range-based metrics. Still, even acknowledging Meadows’ defensive impact, fans can’t help but feel that cutting ties with a potential middle-of-the-order bat is a risky move.

“Trey Sweeney is worse,” another option given by a user. “TREY WAS RIGHT THERE NOOOOO,” added another. So, if the Tigers found nothing with Malloy’s .322 avg, fans wonder what’s then with Sweeney? Notably, Swenney is another prospect with worse stats than Malloy. This year, he hit 6 HRs with a .196 avg. Surprised? Well, you now know why the fans are calling out the Tigers’ front office.

“Numbers game. He’s going to make some team a pretty good hitter. I hope he doesn’t beat us for it,” one fan shared a valid concern. Well, it’s nothing new for the Tigers to let go of their future superstars. For instance, the Tigers traded Eugenio Suarez to the Reds in 2014 as part of a deal for Alfredo Simón. A few years later, he was launching 40-plus homers a season and anchoring Cincinnati’s lineup!

So, the Tigers fans are concerned about how Malloy would make a comeback and what if it comes against them only!