June has almost reached its halfway point, and the Detroit Tigers' dominance over the AL Central isn't showing any signs of ending soon. The Tigers are opening the new week with a division-leading 43-24 record through 67 outings, which also happens to be the top performance across all of Major League Baseball.
No one can fault the Tigers' AL Central rivals for wanting to be like them after a terrific start to the 2025 campaign. Perhaps that's why one of their divisional counterparts just signed a former Detroit pitcher to its roster over the weekend.
Former Tigers LHP Tyler Alexander Returns to AL Central with White Sox
On Sunday, the Chicago White Sox signed former Tigers left-handed pitcher Tyler Alexander to a one-year, $760,000 contract. The deal comes a few days after Alexander elected for free agency following his being designated for assignment by the Milwaukee Brewers on June 1.
Interestingly enough, it didn't take him long to make his Chicago debut. Alexander threw out 45 pitches across three innings in the White Sox's 7-5 loss to the Kansas City Royals on Sunday, allowing one earned run on five hits with a pair of strikeouts. Time will tell if he can capitalize on that momentum.
A former 2015 second-round pick, Alexander spent six seasons in a Tigers uniform, splitting his time between being a starting pitcher and reliever. He went 11-23 across 120 appearances (43 starts) during that stretch, pitching to a 4.38 ERA while striking out 273 batters across 341 1/3 innings.
Alexander's time in the Motor City ended when he was DFA'd by the Tigers in November 2023 following an injury-riddled campaign. He spent the 2024 season with the Tampa Bay Rays before signing a one-year contract with the Brewers this past February. He went 3-5 with a putrid 6.19 ERA in 21 games (4 starts) with the NL Central club before being DFA'd.
Some players need fresh starts, and Alexander now has one with one of baseball's worst teams. The Tigers won't be playing the White Sox until the middle of August, though, meaning the former second-rounder has to stick with his new team for two more months before a potential reunion with his old club.