The Detroit Tigers have added a versatile Taiwanese infielder to their organization by acquiring Tsung-Che Cheng from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for cash.
The move, first reported by Andrew Parker of Sox Prospects, brings a 25-year-old left-handed hitter to Detroit at a moment when both clubs are navigating the annual scramble to reduce their 40-man rosters to the required limit by Monday evening.
For the Tigers, the transaction is a low-cost way to inject infield depth.
Cheng will occupy a spot on Detroit’s 40-man roster, which currently sits above the limit depending on how the club handles option decisions involving pitchers Drew Anderson and Kenley Jansen.
While the Red Sox used the deal in part to clear a roster spot of their own after earlier sending Nate Eaton to the Athletics, the Tigers gain a player who is already out of minor-league options and will therefore have to make the major-league roster or be exposed to waivers next spring.
Cheng’s path to this point has been circuitous.
Originally signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as an international free agent in 2019, he made a brief three-game debut with Pittsburgh in 2025 before bouncing around the waiver wire. Boston claimed him from the Nationals last February.
During his time with the Red Sox, he appeared in 14 major-league games, mostly as a fill-in shortstop, and hit .256 with one double in 44 plate appearances.
He spent the bulk of the season at Triple-A Worcester, where he posted a .241/.345/.390 line with eight home runs. Evaluators have long noted his disciplined approach at the plate—he walked at a strong 14 percent rate in the minors—and his reliable glove work across the infield.
From Detroit’s perspective, Cheng profiles as a classic utility piece rather than an everyday starter.
He has experience at shortstop, second base, and some third base, and scouts have generally praised his defensive instincts and plate discipline even as his power remains modest and his strikeout rate sits in the mid-20s.
Joining a Tigers club that already features fellow Taiwanese infielder Hao-Yu Lee, Cheng offers left-handed balance and a glove that can cover multiple spots without the organization having to surrender any prospects or significant money.
Because he is out of options, Cheng will compete for a bench role throughout the winter and into spring training if Detroit elects to keep him on the 40-man roster.
For a contending team looking to improve its depth without major expenditure, the addition of a 25-year-old who has already shown he can hold his own defensively in the majors represents a sensible, low-risk bet heading into the 2027 season.
