Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris shared mostly generalities when speaking with the media on the first day of the Winter Meetings, reiterating that his club continues to look for starting and relief pitching, and wants “to try to find a way to improve our offense without blocking” some star position-player prospects in the minor league pipeline (i.e. Kevin McGonigle, Max Clark).
When asked about the persistent trade rumors surrounding Tarik Skubal, Harris unsurprisingly didn’t shed any light on whether or not the Tigers might be leaning towards keeping or dealing the star left-hander. What the executive did cover was his broad stance on trade discussions, and why he hasn’t outright stated that Skubal isn’t going anywhere before the pitcher is eligible for free agency next winter.
“I’ve been pretty clear since I’ve been here, I don’t believe in untouchables at any level,” Harris told The Athletic’s Cody Stavenhagen and other reporters. “So anyone in our organization, at any level. It’s not a commentary on Tarik specifically. Sort of a blanket team-building approach. I think I can’t do my job without listening. I can’t do my job without exploring anything that may or may not have legs. Some are maybe very likely moves, and some are going to be extremely unlikely. But you can’t actually fully vet those opportunities unless you are willing to listen. So that’s how we’re doing it.”
It’s a logical position for a PBO to take, since you never know when a team might emerge with an outlandish trade offer that is too good to pass up. Reports indicate that Skubal is unlikely to be dealt, both because the Tigers’ “asking prices are enormous” (as per ESPN’s Buster Olney) and because keeping Skubal atop the rotation obviously gives Detroit a much better chance of winning the World Series in 2026.
How the Tigers will build around Skubal in what might be his final year with the club remains to be seen. Detroit has been linked to such prominent free agent or trade targets as Alex Bregman, Ranger Suarez, Michael King, Zac Gallen, Kenley Jansen, Pete Fairbanks, and Ketel Marte, though the team’s most significant new acquisition over the first month of the offseason is Drew Anderson’s one-year contract. Jack Flaherty and Kenta Maeda are the only free agents to sign multi-year contracts over Harris’ three-plus years in change of the front office, with the two pitchers each signing for two years apiece. (In Flaherty’s case, he picked up a player option for that second year rather than test free agency again.)
While the Tigers have made some bigger pursuits like their bid for Bregman last offseason, Motown fans won’t be satisfied about the team’s direction or its willingness to spend big until the Tigers actually land a major target. As The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal opined in a recent column, Harris’ cautious approach to trades or free agents doesn’t lend itself fully capitalizing on what might be a limited window of opportunity with Skubal on the roster. There’s still plenty of time this winter or at the trade deadline for Detroit to add more top-tier talent, though it remains to be seen how aggressive the Tigers will be in these pursuits.
Skubal trade szn back on the menu!
He will trade anyone!
Well, even Ty Cobb ended his career with the Philadelphia Athletics after 22 seasons as a Tiger, so…
They didn’t trade Cobb. He left Detroit after 22 seasons.
Ty Cobb would’ve retired but Connie Mack convinced Cobb to come to the A’s.
Harris hasn’t added top talent in the past… heck, he hasn’t added marginal talent in the past. What makes anyone think he will do it now?
The same needs this year are the same needs from the year before. 3B, RF, SS, starting and relief pitching. They might need a CF now also.
Harris shops at the bargain bin, looking for aging former stars or injured players that might bounce back enough to flip at the deadline.
Harris has said, “There are no windows”. This year is just like any other year.
You’re right. He’s not and not going to do it now. People keep thinking he’s going to make some blockbuster trade and go all in for a World Series.
Listen carefully to his words and compare them to his actions. He’s literally doing everything he says, and that is building a club that is positioned to win for many years by hoarding prospects and investing heavily in development.
As he said, he’s trying to get better without blocking the Big Macs (Kevin McGonicle and Max Clark and Max Anderson). It’s extremely obvious he’s not going to sign an infielder to a length greater than 1 year unless unseen circumstances force his hand.
Everyone is going to complain for the next 2-3 years. But then, fans will see the system he’s built that will compete with the best teams year in and year out at a fraction of the cost of big market clubs. Trading Skubal facilitates that.
Squeaking into the playoffs is the goal. I miss Dave Dombrowski.
DD is a hall of fame GM, no doubt. Not about to dispute his accomplishments. But, what he did to (or, the shape he left the Tigers in) is a huge blemish on his record. Even he conceded that he needed to change his method of operation (mainly, the constant selling of prospects to win a World Series). He left the Tigers entire system in terrible shape. It took us like 8+ years to dig out from the mess.
I’m all about building a system that eliminates the build and bust cycles. That looks like what we have with the new regime.
DD came to Detroit and there was essentially no seriously run farm system. It was barren. So, to say DD depleted the system is not true. Let’s be honest, Mike Illich didn’t care about the farm. He wanted window shopped veterans and had an open door to player agents.
I agree that there was no farm system to begin with. Can you think of a position player that came up between Travis Fryman and Curtis Granderson? Probably not. That gap spans like 25 years. That’s sad and a serious indictment on the organization.
But, what is true is that he traded away just about every prospect of any value. That’s a fact.
And you’re right again. The organization didn’t seem to care about the farm. But, a good GM does! He emphasizes player development and builds a roster around home grown players. That was a dimension DD never traversed. That’s why he was nicknamed Trader Dave. And, he was good at recognizing talent. He won a lot of trades. Robbie Ray was a mystery tho 😂
All I know for sure is that the last World Series that we won employed a home grown first, plug holes in free agency strategy.
In 2012, the Tigers had 7 homegrown players, the rest were from outside the organization. The 2006 Tigers had 4.
As I said, position players. Try again.
Melchez…TroyVan hit the nail on the head. They have built a sustainable pipeline that allows the to fill holes internally vs overspending. That’s smart baseball.
I fobagree thst they should add though. Keith was fine at 3B. SS is always going to be a crapshoot with Baez there. If they signed Kim for SS and Bellinger for OF I think it would supplement the roster nicely now and later. Both can play other positions and move around when prospects come up. The starters are decent but a #2 would really elevate the team. The bullpen needs a lot of TLC.
Thank you.
I coined that btw.
Big Macs.
I like it. Catchy if they all make the bigs!
Really, we only need two to make it, just so the plural makes sense.
Man, I’m looking forward to those days! I’m ready for baseball to start tomorrow. Sadly, it still not until “next year”.
Sustainable pipeline? How will they sustain with no pitching? Who has Harris drafted that is on the roster? .
Who needs pitching when you have 73 second basemen?
He has drafted a lot of high schoolers. They take time. The guy hasnt been there that long and has one of the top rated minor league systems in baseball. Show some patience on that end.
But I want them NOW! You’re right. It just worries me that after Melton, there don’t appear to be any on the immediate horizon. The health issues is probably more sport-wide than I’m considering as I am admittedly Tigers-centric.
Tigers need a CF who can hit.
Tbh, all teams should have this mindset. Untouchable is hogwash. And full no trade clauses need to stop. I can understand partials, no need to trade someone where they want to go, but full no way.
****Where they *don’t* want to go, I meant obviously.
Most times the no trade clauses are just about getting some leverage for the player. Things like getting the new team to pick up an option, pay moving expenses and such. Even partials are mostly about leverage. That’s why the teams on the no trade are the usual playoff contenders. Rarely is it just a player doesn’t want to go to a specific team.
Oh I get there’s multiple reasons for it, I still don’t think a team should ever handicap themselves like that.
Just read Tigers interested in Seong Kim. What an upgrade that would be. Yeah, Harris going to count on rookies and below mid level Free agents, again
My wife says Im untouchable 😞
@tigers182
But she still stays with you, despite being untouchable.
Harris is a rube. Tigers have made the playoffs in spite of him. Maybe he can re-sign Alex Cobb again.
All anyone has to do is look at the Tigers W/L prior to – and after his hiring to see how this is nonsense.
TBH, Harris did try to sign Bregman and others but they signed elsewhere. He bargained shopped because players were hesitant to come to Detroit.
They are hesitant to come to Detroit because they have a clown leadership. They make foolish additions at the deadline. They make foolish acquisitions in the winter. They don’t keep the players they bring up through the system. The players move on to real major league teams once they get the chance. The Tigers are a clownshow.
Give one example of any player who turned down the Tigers because of leadership. It’s a young roster and 1 of only 3 teams to win playoff series the past two seasons. Players sign with whoever gives them the best contract. You gotta stop falling for the radio fake outrage for ratings bit.
Melchez…you have been going on about this for two years and rarely provide examples unless they support your version of reality. They have screwed up some and done some good things. Dombrowski didn’t bat a thousand either. This is a winning team that made the playoffs and won a round two years in a row.
Illitch is cheap so the GM does not have much of a choice. I think the Bregman talk last year was just to make it seem like they were involved. Players coming off bad seasons or injuries our the players we target here in Detroit. Those on the cheap side.
Hogwash..nobody’s getting or signed or traded…by any team
Skubal is ‘the major target the Tigers should actually land’! Going through the motions around that uncertainty is really just more of the same, isn’t it?
Tiger fans have shown they can be patient.
Yes, they have.
Patients in a mental hospital….
Expecting a dynasty. Turns out, it’s just nasty and we do the dying part….
One year left of Skubal, the last decade+ of prospects…. don’t seem to be working out as planned…..Hmmmm….
The only one who appears Dalit is the Superfife. I feel like a Scheduled Class. Thanks a whole bunch. I’ve been a loyal fan and it makes me…..banannas….
Hire the Superfife
Fear God
and praise Jesus.
Scott Boras and his fake birth certificate have nothing on me!
No untouchables because Tigger don’t want to mess with Chicahgo!
Why just him? When did the Tigers become cheap? Skubal should stay or trade him to Yankees
Typical Yankee garbage. Eat us, Yankee.
The interview was a joke. The MLB interviewer spent the whole time trying to back Harris into a corner and Harris spent the whole interview trying to not be backed into a corner. His answers were vague and standard interview answers. I think he went to the Crash Davis school of interviews.
The fact of the matter is that unless some other team gets stupid, Skubal is untouchable, and so is McGonigle and probably a few other prospects.
Do it Stearns! Give up anyone but McClean. I wonder if the reason Stearns is avoiding long term deals is because Cohen is going to make him give one to Skubal. Get him now then extend
Do it Stearns give up everyone INCLUDING McLean….or NO Skubal for you one year!
Trade Skubal if you’re not going to extend him. You could get a better haul than the Astros got for Kyle Tucker.
I like it. No player should be untouchable when it comes to trades. If they can get a large enough haul worth trading Skubal, why not?
Somebody going to try and pull off a big trade with Tigers now.
Javier Baez is untouchable. No one will touch him.
True, but Tiger fans need to accept he’s not going anywhere this year. This regime is not going to swallow $48 million.
Detroit fans should also consider, besides Carp, Javy was the only one who hit the ball in the playoffs last year, and kept their hopes alive with his defense, specifically that diving catch.
Tiger fans should also realize he is still the best MLB-caliber defensive SS in the whole organization — better than McKinstry, Sweeney and McGonigle.
I still want him gone!
Haha, I understand. I’m not crazy about his albatross contract and mediocre run production, either. I’m just saying at least he is still a good defensive SS and he can run into one every once in a while – like that walk-off 3-run jack against Boston.
The Tigers have had a shortstop problem for 12 years: Niko Goodrum, Jordy Mercer, Willi Castro and Andrew Romine. Even Jose Iglesias before them wasn’t much at the plate. You have to go all the way back to 2013 and Jhonny Peralta when the Tigers had a decent SS.
Depressing!
Baez, Mize and McKinstry for Corey Seagar?
I’d do that in a heartbeat, but you’d have to catch the Rangers GM while he was drunk.
Seager would be worth giving up some prospects for.
Scott Harris has some players perculating on the farm, but the jury is out on those players and their future
The Tigers have huge holes on this roster for SS, CF, 2B (in ’27), bench, bullpen, rotation.
In 2027, the holes in the rotation and on the team will loom much larger when Skubal, Mize and Flaherty are all expected to leave as Free Agents at the end of ’26
Jobe may fill one of those rotation slots in late ’26 or early ’27.
But the Tigers will need 2-3 new young, cost controlled productive starters to keep pace in the AL Central in 2027 and for injury insurance and depth.
And, the Tigers need to face the facts that shopping in the bargain bin for retreads like Cobb, Paddock and Charlie Morton are not moves that are going to win the pennant in ’26 or any other year.
McGonicle SS ’26? and Clarke OF ’27 will help if they are ready to hit the ground running. The Tigers have no guarantees that those top prospects will have immediate, positive impacts in ’26 or ’27.
The smart move would be to auction Skubal off to the highest bidder on the trade market for a truckload of top young major league and major league ready top talent to jumpstart the Tigers team for ’26, ’27 and beyond. Such a deal would fill multiple holes on the Tigers team and roster with high caliber, young, cost controlled players that would set up the Tigers for pennant contention from ’26 to well into the 2030’s,
However, it would be a ballsy move that would, initially, be unpopular with Tigers fans. But, the fans would embrace it when the ’26 Tigers infused with new, young talent surged into pennant contention with
shrewd managing by AJ Hinch.
I doubt whether Scott Harris and Owner Chris Illitch are bold enough to do such a blockbuster, franchiser changing trade. So far, both of them strike me as accountant, bean counter types.
In studying the Tigers farm system and roster, trading Skubal appears to be the best way for the Tigers to compete for pennants both short term and long term.
Otherwise, 2027 may be a brutual year the Tigers even if they finally open up the checkbook and sign a few above average free agents.
Teams like the: Dodgers, Rays, Mets, Brewers, Cubs and many more would offer a “Kings ransome” for Skubal.
For example: Dodgers have #1 rated farm system are loaded with young talent on their team and farm and might be aggressive in giving up top, young talent to land Skubal and go for a 3 peat of Championships.
A generous offer from the LA Dodgers of a mix of major league talent and top 100 prospects on the brink of the majors could seriously tempt Scott Harris and the Tigers to Trade Tarik Skubal:
Not sure how many players it would take.
But a Team like the Tigers is not trading 2X AL Cy Young Tarik Skubal unless the Dodgers completely blow then away with a staggering offer and the Dodgers feel that getting Skubal will help secure them a 3rd straight World Series Championship.
LHSP Jackson Farris, RHSP River Ryan, Emmett Sheehan, Roki Sasaki (pick at least 3 from this list and all could slide right into Detroit’s starting rotation);
Position Player Talent: ( +Pick at least 3 from a position player list) OF Hope, Sirotta INF Freeland
This would be a partial list of possible Dodger players that would be discussed and there may be MLB talent not on this list.
A Skubal trade would be one of the biggest if not the biggest blockbuster deals in MLB history.
So, throw out the past metrics just like throw out the past salary figures where past record contracts are falling right and left.
Again, I would not expect the Tigers to even consider a Skubal trade unless the Dodgers, Mets or some other ballclub completely shocked and knocked Chris Illitch and Scott Harris out of their chairs with
a gigantic offer that they could not refuse,
Wow talk about a rant. TLDR
Just intelligent baseball discussion.
If you cannot read it then just scroll by and let others comment on it in an intelligent manner.
Not everything can be analyzed and decided in 10 words or less.
Thanks!
I read it.
I’m afraid you’re correct that maybe the best course of action is to try to get a King’s ransom for Skubal.
The only problem is do we trust Scott Harris to get the right players? His acquisitions to date have been less than thrilling.
A lot of the scouting and analysis has already been done by the Dodgers and other teams. Dodgers have landed some of their top prospects in trades with other teams also.
Scott Harris has drafted and acquired some promising prospects also. But the best pitcing on his watch appears to be in the low minors.
Pick from this list and others on the Dodgers R0ster
mlb.com/milb/prospects/dodgers/zyhir-hope-814307
mlb.com/milb/prospects/dodgers/alex-freeland-69097…
mlb.com/milb/prospects/dodgers/mike-sirota-701527
mlb.com/milb/prospects/dodgers/josue-de-paula-8005…
mlb.com/milb/prospects/2023/dodgers/dalton-rushing…
mlb.com/milb/prospects/dodgers/jackson-ferris-7013…
mlb.com/milb/prospects/dodgers/river-ryan-689981
mlb.com/milb/prospects/2023/dodgers/emmet-sheehan-…
baseball-reference.com/players/s/sasakro01.shtml
Shortstop mlb.com/milb/prospects/dodgers/emil-morales-815896…
I wouldn’t trust the Scott Harris front office to get any decent players for Skubal. Just overhyped prospects the other team knows will fail.
Detroit’s rebuilding under Harris has been going well. I love the fact they can chase after the best high school players in the country with big money in the first draft round. They are playing competitive baseball again. This is fun to watch. When Skubal gets traded or leaves we’ll watch for the next ace to come up. The division plays a nice brand of baseball that no one is trying to conquer with money. Its fun to watch. GO TIGERS !
What will Harris do when all of Avila’s players leave?
I’m wondering where all of Scott’s pitching prospects are. This is getting concerning.
Probably call up all the High school pitchers and hitters he drafted!
SportsFan0000
1 second ago
Just read online from multiple sources report claims:
“Framework of Tigers-Dodgers Deal sending Skubal to LA is in place
“KTLA TV sports anchor David Pingalore — who is at the winter meetings in Orlando — lit the internet ablaze on Tuesday night when he posted on his X account that a deal between the Tigers and Los Angeles Dodgers for Skubal is “essentially in place” and only a few hiccups away from getting across the finish line..
Dodgers want a long term extension with Skubal.
Tigers must get ownership approval for a deal of this magnitude.
RHSP Tyler Glasnow, RHSP Emmet Sheehan, top outfield prospect Zyhir Hope are the heart of the package going to the Tigers with maybe a few other players or prospects added to that list.
Headline could just as easily be ‘Scott Harris: No “Improvements” On Tigers Roster.’