The Tigers' Dilemma: To Trade or Not to Trade?
The Detroit Tigers find themselves in a precarious situation as the trade deadline approaches. With a 42-50 record and a 4-game deficit from the playoff picture, the team is in a tough spot. Their star pitcher, Tarik Skubal, is in the final year of his contract and is the biggest potential trade chip. Selling Skubal and other expiring contracts could net the Tigers a return that brightens their future, but it would also snuff their chances of rallying this year.
However, the Tigers' recent surge has given them hope. After a 6-22 record in May, they have gone 20-12 since June 1, the best record in the American League in that stretch. Skubal, the biggest question mark in baseball, believes the team is finally playing to its true potential. He hopes the Tigers front office sees the recent success and believes in the team.
"I think we’re a really good team, and there’s so many guys in this room that have proven that we can go on a run like we did in ’24," Skubal said. "I think there’s a lot that goes into it, but our record is not our team. We’re not a 41-50 team, I don’t even think we’re a .500 team. I think we are one of the best teams in the American League, one of the best teams in MLB."
The Tigers remain fourth in the AL Central standings, within 5½ games of the first-place Chicago White Sox. With 70 games left, they would need a 39-31 record to finish the season at .500. In 2024 and 2025, the Tigers were the final AL playoff team with 86 and 87 wins, respectively. To reach those marks again, they would have to close with at least 44 wins in the final 70.
The Tigers' president of baseball operations, Scott Harris, is in a difficult position. He can't mortgage top prospects to improve a slim chance of making the playoffs, let alone making a World Series run. However, he also can't afford to let Skubal walk in free agency for nothing, as the Tigers would only net a compensatory draft pick after the first round.
The Tigers were not in the ballpark with their long-term offer for Skubal after his 2024 AL Cy Young Award season, and, after he won the award again in 2025, went to an arbitration hearing last winter over his salary for 2026 – and lost. They are longshots to re-sign Skubal to the massive contract his agent, Scott Boras, is angling for.
Despite the challenges, the Tigers' collective confidence is growing that they can continue to close the playoff gap. However, they know a lot more work needs to be done ahead of the trade deadline and the final two-plus months of the season before those possibilities become more realistic.
"I trust our team to come out and keep it all in perspective and continue to play good baseball to win games and see where that takes us," manager A.J. Hinch said. The Tigers' dilemma is a fascinating one, and it will be interesting to see how they navigate it in the coming weeks.
