Over the next two weeks, the Tigers are widely expected to become deadline sellers. That’s perhaps not as set in stone as it once looked — not with an 8-2 showing in their past 10 games and nine games against the Twins and Guardians remaining between now and the deadline. In many ways, they’ll control their own fate. At 47-50, they’re a dozen games back of Cleveland for the division lead and seven games out of the American League Wild Card chase. An impressive run, particularly against those division foes, could change the complexion of the AL Central.
Given their standing in the division for the majority of the season, there’s been been plenty of chatter about the top names Detroit could peddle on the summer trade market. A trade of ace and AL Cy Young favorite Tarik Skubal — who’s controlled through 2026 — seems immensely unlikely, though given the sheer volume of interest and possibility of a team making a stratospheric offer, we still tucked him into the No. 50 spot last week when listing our top 50 trade candidates for this year’s deadline.
Three other Tigers made that list, including top name Jack Flaherty as well as reliever Andrew Chafin and utilityman Gio Urshela. There’s at least one other Tiger that had a clear case to be on the list, but ultimately, we chose an arbitrary 50 candidates to highlight, and not every plausible name made the cut. That, however, doesn’t mean that catcher Carson Kelly isn’t an intriguing trade candidate himself.
At the time the Tigers signed Kelly last August, the transaction drew little fanfare. While he was a former top prospect with the Cardinals and one of the headline pieces in the trade that sent Paul Goldschmidt from St. Louis to Arizona, Kelly had struggled for much of the 2022-23 seasons after originally turning in a pair of nice seasons with the Snakes in 2019 and 2021. At the time of his DFA and subsequent D-backs release, he was hitting .226/.283/.298 in 92 trips to the plate. He’d batted .211/.282/.334 in 354 plate appearances a year prior. It was an inauspicious conclusion to a nearly five-year run in Arizona.
Kelly didn’t do much to change any narratives surrounding him down the stretch in Detroit. He hit just .173/.271/.269 in 59 plate appearances. He continued to play standout defense, as has been the case throughout his big league career, but he looked the part of a punchless, glove-first backup. Despite that, the Tigers clearly saw something they liked and picked up the $3.5MM club option they’d negotiated into Kelly’s contract — a lesser price than he’d have commanded had the Tigers simply kept him and gone through the arbitration process.
It’s proven to be a savvy move. After a disastrous stretch at the plate in 2022-23, Kelly has rebounded back to the 2019 and 2021 form that made him into a quality all-around catcher. He’s hitting .247/.326/.410 with seven home runs on the year. He’s been even better since a slow start; in 120 plate appearances dating back to mid-May, Kelly is hitting .290/.358/.505.
That production doesn’t appear to be overly fluky in nature. Kelly’s .276 average on balls in play is higher than his career .257 mark, but not by much, and it’s still south of the 2024 league average (.289). Kelly’s 19.9% strikeout rate is the lowest full-season mark of his career (albeit only by a narrow margin), and he’s drawing walks at a solid 8.6% clip. Statcast shows that Kelly is making hard contact at far and away the highest rate of his career (45.4%) and also averaging a career-best 89.7 mph off the bat. (From 2022-23, those numbers sat at 35.4% and 87.4 mph, respectively.) By measure of wRC+, Kelly’s bat has been 10% better than average.
The increased production at the plate is particularly encouraging because Kelly’s glove remains a premium asset. He’s thwarted a whopping one-third of stolen base attempts against him (18-for-54). The league average this season is 23%. Kelly has also drawn plus marks for his blocking and at least average marks for his framing. In 437 innings behind the dish, Statcast credits him as four runs above average. Defensive Runs Saved pegs him at a strong +3 in that same time.
Kelly’s production has been sufficient enough that he’s overtaken Jake Rogers by a slight margin in terms of playing time. Though he was signed to be Rogers’ backup, Kelly’s 437 innings behind the plate top his teammate’s 422 frames there.
Given Rogers’ struggles this season — he’s hitting .203/.251/.346 — it’s possible that Kelly has played his way into the Tigers’ long-term plans. However, he’s slated to become a free agent at season’s end. Rogers, who’s a plus defender himself, is controlled through the 2026 season. He’s drawn trade interest in the past and could potentially do so again over the next couple weeks, though this year’s downturn at the plate obviously has an adverse impact on the level of interest Rogers would realistically command.
It’s rare for a team to go acquire a new starting catcher at the deadline, as learning a new pitching staff on the fly midseason is a tall order. There are a few teams on the lookout for catching help, however — the Cubs seemingly chief among them. Other postseason hopefuls that have received minimal production from their backstops in 2024 include the Guardians and the Rays, and the majority of contending clubs would consider the 2024 version of Kelly an upgrade over their current backup catcher.
In retrospect, I’d probably go back and find a way to get Kelly onto last week’s top 50 list, perhaps pushing off one of the many middle relievers who populated the middle tiers. But catching help is rarely as in demand as bullpen help on the summer trade market, and we went with more relievers as a result.
Regardless, Kelly stands as a clear trade candidate, barring a surge against the division-rival Guardians and Twins in the next two weeks. That fact alone is deserving of praise for multiple parties. Tigers scouts and evaluators deserve credit for looking at Kelly and determining that even after a dismal two years, he still had a potential rebound in the tank. The front office deserves credit for not only signing Kelly last year but including a low-cost club option that’s made him into an even more appealing bargain option.
And, of course, Kelly himself deserves praise for the manner in which he’s put that forgettable two-year stretch behind him and revitalized his career. This is his best stretch since early 2021, and having just turned 30 on Sunday, he still has plenty of years ahead if he can sustain anything close to this pace. The big question, for the moment, is whether that continues in a Tigers uniform or whether he changes hands in the next 14 days. He and his teammates will have plenty of say in which route their front office ultimately chooses.
I bet Kelly will get traded to a contender and help the team through October
Cleveland? Houston?
I honestly think that, that very good stretch came too late for them too think about fighting even for the wildcard spot. I mean they would have to keep this form running until September probably. Not impossible but not probable either. And probably would need to add a pice or two.
That being said, they can enjoy the moment to sell high
For them to fight for a wild card spot, Chris I would have to open his wallet and buy. That’s not going to happen. The most he would do is stand pat and keep the current team thru the end of the year. That would be the worst option. They don’t have enough as is, and to let players with value walk at years end would be a waste of assets.
You are right and I will expand on that thought…
The Tigers would be fools to not trade Skubal and the only reason not to would be short term $$$ for the next two years, assuming they would lose a few thousand ticket paying fans every game he is scheduled to pitch at home. That’s assuming this year is not a career high for him.
In 2014 the Tigers finished first in the division with 90-72 record. Since then, which was 10 seasons ago, they have been over .500 one year, 2016. This team continues to field average to below average talent, as a group, every year.
Don’t listen to what management says, look at what they do. In this year’s draft they took high school kids with their first 3 picks. Does that tell you they fully expect to improve and compete in the next 2 years? None of them are projected to be on the major league roster for the time period Skubal has left in Detroit.
This is a golden opportunity for Detroit to get a package of high quality prospects and possible major league ready now players to get this snail moving rebuild a jump start.
You are absolutely wrong, tuner49. Why do you want to sabotage the Tigers next couple of seasons? Trading their ace for a few supposedly major league ready prospects would be horribly dumb and a self inflicted delay to the end of the rebuild. Bad, horrible, destructive idea, there. Revisit this subject at the deadline in 2026 and it would make sense. Hopefully, Skubal gets a nice extension that Boras can’t say no to. If not, let the Tigers trade him as a rental, or pursue him heavily in FA with a slightly better offer.. Anyone who advocates for trading him now, is simply an anti-Tiger fan troll, including you. It figures you would agree with STYMEEDONE, who is a Harris hating troll whose cheese has slipped off his cracker. I hope for your sake you’re not headed down the path of idiocy that he has. Think logically, and you’ll keep your cheese on your cracker, something that STYMEEDONE has failed to do since Harris took over.
Biggest mistake the Tigers made was not trading Max Scherzer for a truck load of top young players and prospects when Scherzer/Boras rejected Mike I’s contract extension offer.
A blockbuster Skubal deal with the Orioles
(preferred over the Dodgers for the quality of young, top rated position player hitters that are major league ready and almost major league ready)
would be FRANCHISE CHANGING FOR THE TIGERS.
IT WOULD FLIP THE NARRATIVE, JUMPSTART THEIR 10 YEAR REBUILD AND MAKE THE TIGERS SERIOUS PENNANT CONTENDERS STARTING IN 2025.
Stop now with these “offers”. You’re overvaluing your unproven prospects and trying put forward scenarios to sabotage the Tigers rebuild. You are turning into nothing better than anti-Tiger troll at this point.
What is wrong is what the Tigers have done the last 10 years. They have done a great job of “sabotaging” their own rebuild. “SportsFanoooo is right about the Scherzer blunder and if they hold onto Skubal they would repeat their mistake. Just trading rentals has not achieved anything. Detroit should expect at least 1 top 50 prospect and 2-3 other major league ready or near ready players. Baltimore has the #1 rated farm system in baseball. Detroit would immediately improve their system and accelerate the rebuild. Without a crystal ball I can’t say they will become stars any more than I can guarantee that Skubal’s season isn’t a career high and its downhill from here or a TJS operation soon. The point is they have to do something different than what they have been doing for 10 years.
Now, calling me an “anti-tiger fan troll” without knowing me is ignorant and rude. If you are younger than 65, I was cheering on the Tigers before you were in diapers.
A handful of us kids would ride the ‘8 mile’ bus to Tiger Stadium and see a doubleheader for 75 cents from the centerfield bleachers. I saw Gibson set the strikeout record against the Tigers in the ’68 series from the centerfield bleachers. He had 17 in game one and 10 in game four. I was in third base box seats when the Tigers gave Mantle the ‘nod and a wink” in his last at bat which produced a meatball for his last home run in his last at bat in Tiger Stadium. Google it. It’s a kool story.
I even used to post articles on this website, some in alliteration style a few years ago. Tiger troll, I am not.
There is no reason to trade Skubal, unless you are wanting to sabotage the rebuild.
This is not similar to the Scherzer situation. The negotiations for an extension went public, thus facilitating a trade. You claim to be a Tiger fan, but conveniently forgot that the Tigers ended up having no choice on Scherzer but to trade him. They got literally nothing in return.
You could have been watching the game for 80 years and still wanting to do further harm to the team is you just being a troll. I don’t care one iota about your experiences, a troll trolls and doesn’t have any concern for his “team”. The best way to end the rebuild isn’t to trade your ace at the deadline for unproven and/or overrated prospects. A trade of Skubal must include a proven first baseman and a proven shortstop, the two glaring holes in the team. Want to throw in some of these prospects that are at AA with no MLB experience, okay, but the focus must be on improving the club, not halting or slowing down the forward progress. If you’re going to propose a trade for Skubal, you must start with Gunnar Henderson. You want our best pitcher? Give us at least one of your best offensive players! Plus it won’t be just for Skubal, Javy Baez and his entire contract (Tigers not chipping in on his salary) has to be included. To obtain a talent like Tarik, you must pay a steeper price. Otherwise, you’re just sitting at a keyboard, throwing names against a wall and seeing if they’re going to stick and at that point, you’re just plain trolling. I doubt you get the logic of to obtain proven MLB talent, you must give up proven MLB talent. Until you get that point, you are simply a troll and in your case, an anti-Tiger troll.
That all being said, I’m not advocating a trade of Skubal. I’m just putting out there who would be needed in a return for him. The Tigers trading Skubal in 2024, would be a horrible idea for the present and future of the franchise.
They need to sell off their rentals unless they win every game before the trade deadline. I am hoping they circle back to Flaherty in the offseason.
If they trade Kelly then Dingler should get a chance to show what he has. If he doesn’t have much to offer then maybe circling back to Kelly in the offseason isn’t a bad idea either.
MCBB, what happens to Rogers in your scenario?
Either way I think he stays right? He’s having a down year but controllable until 2026.
Makes sense.
Who caused the Revolution of the Sweeper and when did it start?
I’d say the pitcher causes the revolutions
No kidding, who and when?
Wait! Are our sanitation workers on strike?
Sanitation workers on this site are on strike since STYMEEDONE continues to post garbage.
Isn’t the Revolution of the Sweeper chapter 52, page 784, of Project 2025?
Congratulations on you progression to well trained monkey, STYMEEDONE! Soon maybe if you regain your grasp on baseball knowledge, you’ll graduate to kindergarten iq level human being. Until then, may I suggest licking the cheese that slipped off your cracker and onto your keyboard?
just goes to show, its not always abt who’s taken 1st overall
Tarik Skubal was a 9th rd draft pick
some tms find diamonds in the rough
you just never know what kind of incredible talent will emerge
Kelly is going to get paid, either by Detroit or someone else. I hope he gets paid by Detroit. Detroit is playing some good ball, and Cleveland the last series looked lost. While I’ve not been a fan of subbing, it’s working ! This team is performing above and beyond anything we’ve seen here before. They are fun to watch, and we all hope it keeps going.
Burnes is the Cy Young favorite, and the Tigers are going nowhere.
Burnes is not the Cy Young favorite. Skubal leads him in most categories and has had top ranking in the last few Cy Young polls.
Did you not figure out that Burnes is the better pitcher in the better division in the tougher ballparks facing tougher teams thus far?
Skubal is not superior enough to be the clear cut. Bad enough the AL Central is allowed to send a team to the postseason.
The AL East is pretty mediocre offensively this year. The AL central would actually be tougher to pitch against as a Tigers pitcher since they’d face a top offense in the Twins and then two middle of the pack teams. An Orioles pitcher only has to face two decent offenses, and even New York is a little skewed upwards since theyre pretty middle of the pack outside of Judge and Soto dragging their team overall stats up on their own.
AL Central overall record against the AL East is below .500. Combined 44-59. If the East is “mediocre” offensively, what does that say about the Central? What’s the offense like when they cross over? Are you seriously defending the traditionally weak division?
Also, every pitcher would take the ballparks in the Central over the East. Zero doubt. They’d also choose the White Sox to face over any AL East team.
JD, you constantly come in with some strange baseball takes that aren’t very thorough. This was an easy find. Based on historical data, nobody should be coming here with your argument.
But the park and opponent adjusted stats favor Skubal…. And both pitchers have faced the White Sox exactly once this season. I think YOURE the one who isn’t very thorough with research. Don’t come at me with those bush league comments. I’m not the one who has to change my username every few months by getting exposed.
Skubal has faced over .500 opponents 5 times. Burnes 8 times.
Obviously your bush argument over ballpark factors is something you’ve been duped into believing. What, Comerica’s spacious park and the big parks within that division is more appealing?
Better yet, you tell me why it’s easier to pitch in Camden, Fenway, Yankee stadium and tell me why our Blue Jays have struggled in the mighty AL East for the last 2+ decades and pretend it does not matter. Also, I have not changed my username but nice try.
If the season ended today, Skubal would win with a better K/9, ERA+, and FIP. Both are deserving.
Burnes is ranked 2nd so he is deserving of consideration. Still lots of ball left to play!
@cooperhill based on what? Have you even seen Skubal pitch, read his stats or paid attention to the Tigers lately? I thought not.
Based on the obvious.
Dude, about the time you actually provide a clear argument to support your assertion that Burnes is having a better year than Skubal maybe someone will listen. The stats don’t support it. Butnes is having g a great year, but Skubal is having a better year. The year is not over yet so circle back when it is. Right now you are wrong and the stats clearly show it.
The obvious is you don’t know what you’re talking about.
Skubal has faced a team over .500 5 times.
Burnes has face a team over .500 8 times.
Skubal pitches in a more favourable pitcher’s park.
Skubal pitches in a more favourable division.
Burnes pitches in a division where all 5 teams could’ve reached postseason. Skubal pitches in a division where nobody was sure if one team could compete.
Burnes pitches in higher pressure in a contending team. Skubal and the Tigers do not. That matters.
Numbers are close to enough to hand the edge to Burnes based on everything I have said. If you don’t like it, you and the other pretend baseball fan backing you up can pray every day the Central actually provides a perennial World Series contender (they don’t).
Burns pitches for one of the best team in baseball, Skubal one of the worst.
Garry that doesn’t help the Skubal argument.
You know teams don’t play all their games at home right? You know the Jay’s are well under .500 and the Rays and Tigers are a couple games apart? You know the NYY are sinking fast right? You know there are three teams well over .500 in the Central too right? You know both Skubal and Burnes pitch against the other teams #1 much of the time right? Cleveland, Minnesota and KC actually have good offenses this year, which surprises me.
Right now the numbers sway heavily towards Skubal. Your argument is flawed in my estimation. Burnes is a great pitcher and having a great year, but right now Skubal is having a better year. By the end of the year that could change.
We can argue for days but I’m not going to. I respect your opinion and I’ll leave it at that since neither of us will change our minds. Thanks for the chat. Cheers dude.
It does because he’s won 10 games vs Burnes 9 on a team that nightly gets 5 hits and has a terrible offebse. HE wins those games with little run support.
Respectfully disagree with your AL East assessment and respect your opinion too. I admire your position. I can’t same the same for the other Tigers fan or “trust the process” JDGoat.
Looking forward to the second half. Cheers Motor.
Yankees are 17-2 against the Central. Do not tell me Burnes needs so much run support. That’s not a good argument. Burnes deals with a chipshot RF at Camden, more competition, more pressure, smaller parks within the division.
To illustrate how weak the Central is, Yankees are 16-19 against the East. Again, 17-2 against the Central. Utter dominance. Central records are higher thanks to the anomaly of the AL West who’s struggled all year.
Nice manipulation and cherry picking of stats its_happening! Congratulations! You’re more stupid with your so called logic than even I imagined. I’m laughing at your ignorance, which is at a pretty high level. Suggestion is, start your own forum and it could be dedicated to your spreading the facts you want to pick and choose to fit your agenda and narrative and live in your trollish fantasy world. Keep on with your nonsensical mission. I don’t think I’ve laughed so hard at someone who is so blatantly obvious in manipulating the facts for his own enjoyment.
I’m quite surprised how much Texas and Houston struggled to start. Houston picked it up but Texas really needs a win streak or it won’t matter how many pitchers they get back in the second half. Seattle needs more offense.
Hell , every team has a nice 10 game stretch , several Tigers are playing well over their heads and will be returning to their mean
And you know this how, teddyj?
Teddy knows because your squad is 47-50 in the worst division in baseball.
You sure love to speak for others, don’t you? You think they can’t speak for themselves?
Skubal’s a beast. That said, any concerns about durability? Would a GM of a contender shy away from a Skubal based on innings count over passed couple of years … and for that matter the most he’s ever thrown in a season is 150 +/-
If I’m the Tigers, keep him. Set a seasonal innings pitched limit, monitor it and then shut him down. His future is in Detriot!
Yeah, I really do hope they hang on to Skubal. HELL of a pitcher.
Is that why the orioles are offering multiple top ten prospects for skubal?
@Rickover50, which prospects? I’ve heard no names mentioned anywhere.
@Rickover50, there’s some speculation Orioles r interested but nothing concrete. I’m an Orioles fanatic, I’d be pleasantly surprised if their POBO Elias would legitimately pursue a Skubal or for that matter a Crochet based on what I said in my previous post.
Crochet would be a far more realistic target for the Os.
Talk of Skubal getting traded won’t go away. I know I’d be mad if they traded him, but I honestly think the fans of the team who gets him would be as mad because of the price they’d have to pay. Probably a combo of 4-5 high end prospects or young players. There aren’t many teams who would pay that price.
I feel the same way MCBB! I’d be absolutely stunned if Skubal got traded. I’ve heard the rumors about the Orioles and Dodgers offering a king’s ransom for him but never are there actual names shared. If think it’s a lot of fireless smoke going on.
I’m a season ticket holder (1/3 season) and I won’t renew if they trade Skubal. Sooner or later the rebuild has to end and you hold on to your winners.
As we were discussing a few days ago I would like to see a Jackson Holiday for Skubal trade. You get the top prospect in the game for 6 and a half years instead of the best pitcher in the game for 2 and a half. I think that would help end the rebuild.
Can’t see the O’s do that as they’re in their win-now window for a couple of years. If Adley and/or Gunnar leaves (Boras clients), they still have a homegrown Holliday to brand and build around.
3 postseasons with Skubal would be really exciting. Instant WS favorites if they make that trade tomorrow.
I’d be disappointed too.
Dingler has finally hit in thr minors and looks to be ready for the jump. Trading Kelly gets a slot open for him and adds more assets for whenever Illitch decides to spend some dough.
I think Kelly will be traded and that the Dingler scenario you posted in your comment is going to be reality. He’s as good or better at Toledo than Kelly is in Detroit (which Carson has been above average for a catcher) so it’s time to see what the kid has to offer!
I hope they can make Carpenter a first baseman. Perez and Malloy look better each and every game. Ibanez looks good at first, so if they can get the lefty Carpenter playing there, then the loss of Canha or Urschella won’t be a big deal at all.
Urshella is probably traded. Carpenter isn’t due back for probably another month due to his setback. Canha possibly stays and plays first.
Getting Carpenter ready to play first would be for next year. If Meadows can be a full time hitting center fielder and Perez the switch hitter needs to play in right. Carpenter needs a infield position and first may be his best choice. The Tiger’s need every good bat they have, and I hope he can become for than D.H or outfield.
If Meadows can’t become full time it takes care of itself, but I sure hope they give him a try at first, and use this down time to have him learn playing it. Perez looks better each day, and so does Malloy, Carpenter playing first would be fantastic. A new Norm Cash.
Meadows was doing well for the three games he played before the injury. I don’t think that will change when he is activated. I fully believe he figured something out in Toledo with his approach.
Yes I like Meadows I hope he continues doing well. The team is on fire now.
I loved the Dodger series. They were a few bad umpire calls in game one from, sweeping them. The Tigers are even playing better at home, which they’ve been awful at in the past few years. That comeback in game two was epic and game three, I’m still flabbergasted about how they did it again. It made the Dodgers look like a silly little league team that doesn’t know how to field not only one but two simple bunts, a little reminiscent of the lack of fundamentals the Tigers had in the 2006 World Series. PFP should be focused on more in their spring training in 2025. It was a crazy weekend that a baseball playwright could never imagined. They are the hottest team in the majors going into the break.Seriously, that whole homestand was nuts where they won five of seven against two first place teams. I had them losing at least five. Thanks Tigers for making my prediction the opposite of what really happened. The team will go through their peaks and valleys, like any other team does but that atrocious offense has awakened, big time. We’ll see if the ASB was a momentum breaker when they come out of it and play at Toronto this weekend and at Cleveland in a four game set.
Yes, we all are hoping they come out rested and still hot.
We shall find out, starting tonight!
Winner, 5-4 over Toronto, now it’s 10 of 12.
While he was a former top prospect with the Cardinals and one of the headline pieces in the trade that sent Paul Goldschmidt from St. Louis to Arizona.
I’m pretty sure that Goldschmidt came from AZ to STL not the other way around but…what do I know.
Thanks 444. I’m too lazy to look up anything but what you said sounds right.
While not from Detroit, growing up in the Midwest I saw how sports-crazed the Detroit area is.
It’s been a very bad stretch the past number of years for pretty much all their teams. The baseball team may well be the most popular.
It’s great to finally read comments on here from Tiger fans over their teams play and what the Tigers near future looks like.
Would be nice if the team becomes a contender for most of the next 4-5 years. These things run in cycles. The Tigers are overdue.
Torkelson not living up to expectations and the Baez signing not helping matters.
Very well said samuel. The Tigers have their best record at the ASB since 2016, I believe. The youth seems to be coming into their own, especially the obvious Greene and Skubal but also Keith and Perez. Malloy isn’t far behind them and with a Dingler promotion and Meadows on the mend along with Olson’s breakout there is great potential and promise with this team. I don’t believe Baez sticks around until 2025 and still have some hope for Torkelson, even if it starts to fade, plus with Jung waiting in the wings in Toledo, it gets me excited about the future of the Tigers. It’s a long shot that they make the third wild card but with an addition or two during the offseason they could be far closer than most think, maybe contending for the division in 2025.
Trade the expiring deals of Kelly Flaherty McKinstry Canha. Keep Maeda in the pen. Bring up Jung, Dingler Manning and Tork at some point. Get Carpenter back to RF and let Meadows take another shot at CF. Figure out what you have before the offseason.
Then get Illitch to find the $ for a SS via trade and extend.
Mets should try to get Skubal and Chafin
Hahahahahaha Skubal and Chafin to the Mets? Not even close.
It doesn’t sound like the Tigers are planning to trade him at all.
From what I’ve read, the Mets seem happy with their starters and don’t seem eager to ship out their newfound prospect wealth. They need bullpen arms so Chafin makes sense.
Having said that getting a #1 starter could change their mindset and they have lots of interesting prospects/young players who could fill needs in Detroit: Acuna; Houck; Baty; Parada et al… IF the Tigers traded Skubal (which I hope they do not) the Mets might match up but it would drain a lot of those top prospects they’ve accumulated.
It all depends on what the Tigers do with Dillion Dingler. He was always viewed as the long term answer at catcher. He is ready for MLB work now so perhaps trading Kelly for a teams top 10 prospect will happen in a couple weeks. Every contender looks for pitching and catching at the deadline.
Corbin Burnes and Tarik Skubal 1-2 in the Orioles Rotation
is a World Series Championship rotation.
The Orioles are a 100+ win team.
They need to “go for it”!
The Tigers need multiple, young cost controlled, young position players who can hit and field and are major league ready or almost major league ready who can jumpstart their rebuild and vault them into contention for 2025:
3B Coby Mayo, C/1B Sam Basallo, OF Heston Kjerstad , SS Jackson Holliday?!
Pick 2 or 3 from that list and then add a few young pitchers like RHSP Chayce McDermott, LHSP Cade Povich?!
Scott Harris and the Tigers would, very likely, “bite” and/or negotiate with that kind of talent and “trade bait” on the table..
It would be a good old fashioned baseball trade that helps both ball clubs.
Tigers could even sweeten the deal with LHSP Skubal and one of their relief pitchers like Will Vest.
SportsFan0000, picking all six of those players will not get you Skubal. Take Baez off the Tigers hands and maybe the Os have a deal.
The Orioles sent two of their better prospects + a competitive balance pick to the Brewers for 1 year of Corbin Burns.
Similarly, an Orioles proposed trade for 2 1/2 years of Tarik Skubal for 3-4 top 100 prospects +a few great. young Orioles pitchers looks like it is in the ballpark for a Tarik Skubal deal.
It is a similar package that the Padres traded to the Nationals for
2 1/2 years of Juan Soto.
Sorry, not enough to acquire Skubal. Again, take Baez and his albatross contract completely off the Tigers hands and it might be as close to workable. The Tigers need proven major league talent in the package coming back, not just prospects. They have several in Detroit already with many in the minor league pipeline. I’m sure that’s what Scott Harris is looking for as well. Right now, your scenario creates a dial tone after Harris laughs in the Os faces and hangs up.
It would be a great deal for the Tigers.
Tigers have many holes in their position player depth and lineup.
If anything, the Orioles might pause at giving up so much talent.
But, the deal could give the Orioles a chance for a World Series trophy.
Tigers would become serious contenders in ’25..
Right now, the Tigers are not serious contenders.
Nope. It would be a horrible idea to trade Skubal for MLB unproven prospects from the Os. Simply atrocious.
Kelly has had an incredible resurgence this year. Great pickup for the tigers which was hard for them to do considered how he played for them last year. The knock on him though is hes been DFA’d and hasn’t been good defensivly or hitting wise outside of just the last few months. The track record isn’t there.
I look for him to be traded due to his lack of control. He has been an outstanding pickup for the tigers this year.
Rogers is the one everyone wants. The Yankees would swap Trevino for him right now if i had to guess. FG , BP and Statcast all have him as the best defensive player in mlb/game at any position. He’s the only catcher in the top 15 on statcast in blocking, pop, and framing.
Rogers is also 1 of just a handful of C with legitimate 30 HR power. Last year he posted 20 with just 100 games. This year his XWOBA stats vs his WOBA shows hes largely been unlucky. He also has 2 years of additional control.
the guru, the time for Dingler is now. Rogers will become the starter for the time being but the Tigers catcher of the future is Dillon. As good as he’s been offensively as of late makes Kelly a good addition for a playoff bound team. My only thing I somewhat disagree with you about Carson is he’s not as bad defensively as you state. Also, the pitching staff all love the way he handles them. Rogers is well respected by them too. Hopefully Dingler can fit the model they carved out for him. Time will tell.
So get catching back in one of the Tigers deadline deals and only move Rogers if some contender will pay a premium for his services.
Orioles catcher Sam Bassalo C/1B looks like he could be a very good offensive and defensive player going forward.
The way Kelly is playing it may be worth it for the Tigers to keep him and work out a 2 year extension if the Tigers brass thinks Kelly can maintain present production going forward.
Unrealistic. The Tigers aren’t trading both their catchers to make room for someone who “looks like he could be a very good anything”. If they go with Looks vs. MLB proven talent is likely a huge mistake.
Re read what I said.
Trade Kelly or Rogers.
Bassalo is about as close as you will get to a “sure thing”.
In AA, he is already projects to be better than Kelly or Rogers.
And, Tigers al;so have their minor league catcher drafted from Ohio State, Dingler ,who used to be a CF..
I did not say trade them both @ this trade deadline.
Bassallo is the Orioles 2nd rated prospect and the 12th rated prospect in the Top 100 prospects in all of MLB.
And,the Tigers would be getting 3-5 other very highly rated young players and prospects like power hitting 3B Coby Mayo.
Similar to what the Padres gave the Nats for 1 1/2 years of Juan Soto.
SS CJ Abrams now an All Star, power hitting OF James Wood just promoted to MLB, #1 Starter MacKenzie Gore
and 3+ more players..
And, I also follow the Tigers closely.
Apparently you don’t follow the Tigers close enough. You’re offering unproven MLB prospect talent for someone who is the frontrunner for the Cy Young award. Scott Harris would first laugh at your proposal, then hang up. Study some more and get back to the forum once you get the point of how bad your idea is.
youtube.com/watch?v=bJUaQtb4F20
Still a hard no.
That is the kind of short sighted thinking that has the Tigers in the midst of a 10 year rebuild.
The Tigers have made this mistake repeatedly.
Smart teams trade some of their young players at “peak value” to re load on top young players and prospects.
That is how Dombrowski landed Scherzer and others before their break through seasons”.
Once they “break through”, then it is too late.
Their price in trades goes sky high.
Not short sighted thinking for the Tigers, but what do I expect from a greedy Os fan, who claims to follow the Tigers but proves he doesn’t know what he’s talking about regarding Detroit and has no interest in them regarding 2025 or 2026? Skubal for unproven prospects, not MLB ready prospects? Not happening
Ha!
Very funny!
You are “barking up the wrong tree”.
I am a Tigers fan who has followed the Tigers for a long time.
I also have great interest in the Orioles for their winning tradition and for how Mike Elias built them from scratch through the draft from 100 loss teams in multiple seasons to a 100+ win teams on the rise with a 45M total payroll this year.
I also follow the Phillies as a great admirer of Dave Dombrowski and how he has constructed World Series pennant contenders and Champions in multiple cities.
And, I follow the San Diego Padres.
The Mike I Era is Over.
The Tigers must build a long term sustainable farm system and pipeline of top young talent to the majors every year to survive as a small to mid-market team in against financial powerhouses like the Dodgers, Yankees etc.
If you had read my posts and comprehended it, then you will discover that trades for top prospects that are major league ready and almost major league ready and young players on the Orioles (hitters who can play defense also)
are the best way for the Tigers to be a legitimate playoffs contenders in 2025, 2026 and for the next decade.
The Tigers under Avila and Harris have the foundational pitching part down pat.
However, the Tigers must land young major league hitters and top, young major league ready or almost major league ready hitters/position players to seriously compete for the playoffs.
Right now, the Guardians, Twins and Royals are doing a better job overall than the Tigers.
3B Coby Mayo, C/1B Sam Bassalo, and many others on the Orioles, on their AAA and AA teams are major league ready and could help the Tigers score runs now and contend in ’25, ’26 and perhaps even in the 2nd half of ’24.
A few “smart trades” like Skubal to the Orioles and Flaherty to the Dodgers or? could close the position players/hitters gap in talent for the Tigers.
If you were a true Tiger fan, you’d have never brought up these troll like evaluations. You’re the prototypical anti-Tiger “fan” who wants to continue to see the rebuild go on for several more years and see your Os do a vulture type cleanup of what little meat is left on the Tiger bones. First you’re coming after Skubal, next it’s Olson, next it’s Greene, so you can build your super team in Baltimore and leave the Tigers with unproven, overrated for the most part prospects. I see right through your BS.
Wow!
You sure don’ t read the posts.
Search the Dombrowski 3 way trade the the Yankees that landed Scherzer and others for the Tigers.
Search the Nats trade of Juan Soto to the Padres that landed 5-6 top young prospects and players that are now the core of the Nats next contending team.
Trading Skubal is the Tigers best chance be a legitimate contender in ’25,, ’26 and beyond.
The alternative is to wait for all the Tigers high school draft picks to make it to Detroit in ’27. ’28 ’29.
Skubal will be gone as a free agent by that time
since Boras is his agent and they don’t do home team discounts or extensions in almost every case.
And, the Tigers will get a draft pick for him 4-5 years away from the majors.
Is that the smarter way to go?!
No one said anything about trading Greene or Olson.
Why should I read your trollish comments? You post nonsense and I don’t like wasting time with your garbage.
Plus you don’t read mine anyway. I never said that anyone said anything about Olson and Greene. I was saying you’ll go after them in your vulture like manner. Geez dude get a life and stop posting this nonsense about trading for Skubal with unproven talent, troll.
Jackson Holliday for Skubal? The Tigers already have a confused hitter who’s actually hit MLB pitching before Hinch “fixed him”..Spencer Torkelson. It that’s the O’s offer, just hang up the phone. And let’s be honest….if Harris trades Skubal, he has no plan to compete in the next few years. Forty years since the last WS win….are they serious or just pretending to be baseball men?
Thanks for the rational comment amongst a ton of irrational ones, Senor Smoke. The only part I disagree with is that about Tork. He never really hit for average so nothing that got “fixed” there. He had a nice season last year, but I’ve heard from many sources that the holes in his swing are on him and that he’s unteachable. I’m afraid we’re getting tragically close to the end of the Tork “era”. He and Mize prove my points about young prospects in the minor leagues supposedly being MLB ready. You can throw the top ten Oriole prospects at a Skubal trade and none of them are guaranteed to click at the MLB level. By trading Skubal for prospects, you are setting back the rebuild yet another few years and I’ll lose all the faith in Harris I have now. I think he can do the job and is shrewd, doing what he can to improve the team and not focus on payroll or be intimidated by Tarik being a Boras client. Skubal will get paid, but why not with the Tigers? Back to Tork and Mize….I’m rooting for them to straighten things out, as I think Mize is much closer to doing so than Tork. Casey is off kilter a bit because this is his first full season after two major surgeries, TJS and back. Tork, got into his own head and can’t seem to get out.
Except that virtually all the Orioles top prospects have or are now
“breaking out” at the major league level as young stars and major league talents especially their position player talent.
They have not had a major bust on a top rated talent in the Mike Elias era.
Mike Elias also had a big hand in drafting and assembling the recent Astros teams that went from bottom to top of the AL West and have been there for many, many years.
So, it is not a fluke with the Orioles.
Mike Elias and his Front Office and Scouting have had successes and know what they are doing.
And, it is why any team making such a trade would demand and receive multiple highly rated talents at the top of their minor league system and playing in the big leagues now.
The return would likely be a mix of players blocked from the major league team by young stars and maybe even a few players already having a taste of and succeeding in the majors.
Here is a link to fairly new Tom Verducci piece on a possible Orioles -Tigers trade involving Tarik Skubal that also rates many of the Orioles players that are on the list of possible players going to the Tigers in such a proposed deal.
si.com/mlb/tigers-tarik-skubal-trade-deadline-dodg…
clickondetroit.com/sports/2024/07/18/heres-what-it…
Troll on trolly one. Drink the koolaid.
See the Detroit Tigers 2024 Draft?!
Many of their top picks are high school players at least 2-3 years away from the majors.
Better to make a blockbuster deal for 4-6 young major league and almost major league ready position players and pitching.
Then, the Tigers will be ready to compete in ’25 and ’26.
Troll
LOL!
Make your baseball arguments or just pass!
I made mine and you troll on.
Hey troll, did you know there are actual MLB ready players in the Tigers system other than those in the recent draft? I thought not. See I read one of your disturbingly moronic posts. I wish I could have that wasted ten seconds back.
Not saying that those draftees are MLB ready, but I’m sure most smart people get my point.
The Tigers should demand and receive many multiple young position players/hitters (at least 3 or 4) and also some young pitching in any Skubal deal with the Orioles.
Troll.
Reese Olson left today’s game after 3 innings due to some sort of injury. Skubal isn’t getting traded. Shut up trolls.
Right shoulder soreness is the reason for his early exit.
Two innings not three for Olson. Alex Faedo in.
Tigers 7 Toronto 3. Jake Rogers with a grand slam (third in his career) in the 6th for the difference maker. AJ said in his post game presser that Olson will go through tests throughout the next 48-hours by Detroit’s medical staff back in Detroit. Tigers have the best winning percentage in the MLB for the month of July, winning 4 straight and 10 of 12.
If the Tigers can manage to pull off the sweep in Toronto, tomorrow, they are .500 after 100 games. The challenge now will be if they can tread water with a four man starting rotation with both Casey Mize and possibly Reese Olson on the IL. Also, they can’t dip down to Toledo to summon Matt Manning into service, because he got hurt yesterday and placed on the minor league IL.
Hey, Os troll SportsFan0000, here’s a little nugget you’ll ignore about the draft…..it’s all about the talent not the timeline. You’re welcome.