Connor Seabold illustrates why the Tigers signed him

Mar 28, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Connor Seabold (43) throws a pitch during the sixth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images | David Frerker-Imagn Images All throughout spring training, a tough question in Detroit Tigers camp was who would take the last spot in their bullpen. Their seven best relief options were pretty obvious, other than the question of whether Keider Montero would stay stretched out to start or not, but no one stepped to take the last right-handed spot in the pen.

Beau Brieske got hurt, Brenan Hanifee wasn’t sharp, and the hoard of minor league signings and post-prospect farm hands never made a move to seize the role. Enter right-hander Connor Seabold. The 30-year-old reliever was in camp on a minor league deal with the Toronto Blue Jays this spring, and there were some interesting developments in his stuff.

When the Blue Jays planned to send him to Triple-A to begin the season, Seabold utilized his opt-out clause and signed a major league deal with the Tigers instead. It was certainly fair to wonder what the Tigers were doing here. Seabold was drafted by the Phillies out of Cal State Fullerton in the third round of the 2017 draft.

A starter originally, Seabold never made it to the show in Philadelphia and was instead dealt to Boston as part of the Nick Pivetta trade. He debuted in 2021 with the Red Sox, and was basically a replacement level reliever through parts of four major league seasons, bouncing to the Rockies, Rays, and Braves in those years until signing a minor league deal with the Blue Jays during the offseason. The past few years, Seabold has worked with a fourseam fastball, slider, and circle changeup.