The Detroit Tigers have added more pitching depth this offseason, signing veteran right-handed pitcher Phil Bickford to a minor-league contract, the team announced.
Bickford, 30, has appeared in parts of five Major League seasons, pitching for four different teams. He most recently suited up for the New York Yankees in 2024, continuing a career that has included stops with the San Francisco Giants, Milwaukee Brewers, and Los Angeles Dodgers.
During the 2025 season, Bickford split time between the Triple-A affiliates of the Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs, posting a 3.52 ERA across 46 innings. He recorded 53 walks and 17 strikeouts, serving primarily in a bullpen role.
Originally selected 10th overall by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2013 MLB Draft, Bickford chose to attend college instead of signing. He was later taken again in the first round (18th overall) of the 2015 draft by the San Francisco Giants.
Bickford made his MLB debut in the shortened 2020 season after being traded to the Milwaukee Brewers. He later found success with the Los Angeles Dodgers, enjoying the best season of his career in 2021, when he posted a 2.50 ERA over 50 innings, struck out 59 batters, and threw six shutout innings during the postseason.
The signing continues a busy winter for Detroit, as the Tigers have added more than a dozen pitchers on minor-league deals in an effort to bolster organizational depth ahead of the upcoming season.
