Report: Tigers, Boyd agree to 1-year, $10M deal

The Detroit Tigers are bringing back free-agent left-hander Matthew Boyd on a one-year contract, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan.

The deal is worth $10 million plus $1 million in incentives, reports Jon Heyman of MLB Network.

Boyd, 31, originally joined the Tigers midway through the 2015 season via trade and stayed with the club through 2021. He most recently played for the Seattle Mariners, making 10 relief appearances in 2022 while authoring a 1.35 ERA and 3.19 FIP over 13 1/3 innings.

He was non-tendered by the Tigers last winter and signed with the San Francisco Giants. However, he never made a professional appearance for the Giants while rehabbing from an elbow flexor strain. He was traded midseason to the Mariners along with Curt Casali for a pair of minor-leaguers.

The deal marked the second time Boyd was traded. The Tigers first acquired him in a blockbuster that sent David Price to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Boyd posted a 4.87 ERA and 4.63 FIP over 147 games during his tenure with the Tigers, making 143 starts. Arm discomfort and elbow strain injuries sidelined the lefty in recent years, relegating the former sixth-round pick to bullpen duties.

He may compete for a rotation spot in Detroit behind Eduardo Rodriguez, Matt Manning, and Spencer Turnbull, as well as Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal when healthy. Alternatively, Boyd may serve as middle relief behind closers Joe Jimenez and Gregory Soto.