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The Tigers dished out big bucks in recent years in salaries, hoping to claim a championship.
But now the club is in rebuilding mode and is expected to cut the payroll in 2018 by up to 30 percent, Bill Shea of Crain's Detroit Business reports. Team salaries are likely to be $141 million to nearly $157 million as next year starts.
The payroll drop could be even larger if players with big salaries are traded or cut during the off season, Shea write:
Currently, the Tigers have just five major leaguers under long-term contract: Miguel Cabrera, Jordan Zimmerman, Victor Martinez, Anibal Sanchez and Ian Kinsler. Collectively, they're due $99 million next season, but some of the five may not be on the roster in 2018.
Sanchez, who has struggled on the mound, is due $16 million next season, but the team has a $5-million buyout option on his contract and they're expected to exercise it. And Kinsler's name has been mentioned frequently as a possible trade bait during this off-season.
