The Detroit Tigers have some interesting questions to answer in free agency, but none of them have to deal with players that have expiring contracts.

As Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report highlighted the top free agent that each MLB team needs to focus on re-signing, he pointed out that the Tigers have no one to bring back.

“Detroit literally has zero free agents. They traded both Jack Flaherty and Mark Canha—both of whom will be free agents this offseason—before going on a rather shocking run to the postseason,” said Kelly.

They decided to part ways with their expiring contracts at the deadline and focus on giving their young stars a chance to shine. And that is exactly what they did.

Now, they can focus solely on who to add to the roster, rather than examining how important a departing free agent was to the success.

General manager Jeff Greenberg and company in the front office aren’t expected to open up their checkbooks too much in free agency, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be interested in signing anyone.

While Juan Soto is going to be a conversation that every team has, the Tigers get to see which players compliment their burgeoning stars rather than bringing in a face of the franchise for hundreds of millions of dollars.

While they don’t have anyone directly leaving from the roster, a reunion with a previously traded player may make sense.

Detroit sent Flaherty to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the deadline. It was a win-win deal that led to the Tigers acquiring some valuable prospects and the Dodgers got a pitcher that was at least solid down the stretch of the regular season to set up their World Series run.

The problem with Flaherty’s future relationship with Los Angeles, was that he sort of crumbled once they got into the postseason.

He finished with a 7.36 ERA, giving up at least four runs twice and getting shelled for eight another time. While he didn’t ruin their chances to win, re-signing him won’t be too high of a priority.

Coming back to Detroit would make sense for Flaherty, as it seemed that he found something that worked for him. He posted a 2.95 ERA with 11.9 K/9 over 18 starts with the team.

The Tigers also clearly need more real starting pitching for a postseason run of its own. So a reunion of this type shouldn’t be ruled out of the equation.

Cardi B wasn’t going to show up at the polls, but she showed up at Vice President Kamala Harris’ “When We Vote We Win” rally with a cry for Wisconsin voters Friday.

Ahead of Election Day coming up on Tuesday Nov. 5, the hip-hop hitmaker delivered a fiery speech that lasted nearly 10 minutes, complete with stinging soundbites and her signature, seemingly off-the-cuff swagger at Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis, Wisconsin, a suburb outside Milwaukee.

During her speech, Cardi B said Harris “joining the race changed my mind completely. I did not have faith in any candidates…until she said the things that I wanted to hear.” Harris rose to the top of the Democratic ticket after President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race in a surprise to American voters on July 21.

The “WAP” performer, who wore an all-white power suit, briefly got choked up and said she was nervous.

“Are we ready to make history?” she called out to cheers.

As she read a speech she wrote from an iPhone, sipping on water as she spoke, it didn’t take long for her to find the confidence that catapulted her into rap superstardom after the release of beat-heavy “Bodak Yellow” in 2017.

“I do not take lightly the call to show up, the call to speak up, the call to deliver a message that has been on my heart for a hot minute now…” she told the crowd. 

Cardi B continued: “Just like Kamala Harris, I too have been the underdog. I have been underestimated, my success belittled and discredited. Women have to work ten times harder, perform ten times better and still people question how we got to the top.”

Beyoncé endorses Kamala Harris for president, joining the VP at a Houston rally

Harris’ Wisconsin rally included performances from GloRilla, Flo Milli

Harris’ rally in Wisconsin on Friday included performances from Cardi B’s “Tomorrow 2” collaborator GloRilla as well as fellow female artists Flo Milli and MC Lyte. Former President Donald Trump also held a rally in the Milwaukee area on Friday at Fiserv Forum, the home of the Milwaukee Bucks in the city’s downtown.

Cardi B referenced Trump during her speech, telling the suburban crowd that she “can’t stand a bully, but just like Kamala, I always stand up to one.”

“I believe in every word that comes out of her mouth,” Cardi B said. “She’s passionate, she’s compassionate, she shows empathy, and most of all, she’s not delusional.”

After expressing support for some of Harris’ campaign promises, including $25,000 in down payment assistance for housing and tax cuts for middle-class Americans, Cardi B again turned her attention to Trump.

“He said he is going to protect women whether they like it or not,” Cardi B said, citing some comments Trump made this week that have been criticized by the Harris campaign.

“Protection for women, especially…maternal and mental health care is not telling them what to do with their bodies. It’s supporting them and giving them the care they need for what they choose to do with their bodies. …” she added.

Cardi B then quipped that “if his definition of protection is not the freedom of choice, if his definition of protection is making sure our daughters have fewer rights than our mothers, than I don’t want it.”

Cardi B says Trump ‘selling us bigotry, misogyny, division, chaos’

After suggesting that Trump was “hustling Americans” by selling “Trump Bibles” and other items, Cardi B argued that Trump was “selling more than watches and sneakers.”

“He’s selling us bigotry, misogyny, division, chaos and confusion. And it’s going to cost you your money, equal opportunity, affordable health care, and any rights you thought you had for your body. He’s going to take it from you! Listen to me. He’s going to take it.” 

“I’m not giving Donald Trump a second chance,” she continued. “I’m not taking any chances with my future and I’m damn sure am taking no chances for the future of my children!””I’m with Kamala. I believe in her. And America I believe in you to turn out Tuesday, turn out and turn up on Tuesday. Let’s win this thing.”

Harris gets endorsements from Cardi B and other A-list celebrities

In recent weeks, the Harris campaign has recruited a roster of A-list celebrities to drum up support for the vice president during closing arguments at her “When We Vote We Win” rally and concert series in crucial swing states, including North Carolina, Nevada, Arizona, Georgia, Michigan and Wisconsin.

Celebrities such as Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, Jennifer Lopez, Bon Jovi, Khalid, Maggie Rogers, and Gracie Abrams have been called upon to publicly support Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

Posted November 2, 2024 8:21am CDT