The non-tender deadline has come and gone, and the Detroit Tigers had to make some tough choices. At the same time, some players who were on the bubble but received a stay of execution might not be here for long.

How aggressive Scott Harris is in free agency remains to be seen, but there are some clear needs on the team and some clear free-agent fits. On top of that, Harris has made it clear that the next wave of talent will be given every opportunity to earn major roles in 2026, and space will need to be made on the 40-man roster in order to accommodate them.

Therefore, some of these borderline players who still have some value might be dangled as bait, either in minor moves to reshuffle the margins or as part of large trades to fill substantial holes. Three players in particular seem like prime candidates for this treatment.

These Tigers survived the non-tender deadline but might find themselves on the trade blockCenter fielder Parker Meadows

Parker Meadows seems to be one of those players with a target on his back. The 26-year-old has moments where he tantalizes, like his dynamic performance on September 6 when he returned from the IL. However, those flashes don’t last long, and the IL stints are a frequent occurrence, with two major ones limiting him to just 58 games in 2025.

One of those top prospects knocking on the door is Max Clark, the No. 8 prospect on MLB Pipeline’s Top-100 list. Of course, pressure from the outside could come as well, should the Tigers make a run at someone like Cody Bellinger in the outfield.

Meadows finished the season with a 75 wRC+. He posted a 31.3% strikeout rate during this year’s playoff run. The Tigers can’t wait for him to turn flashes into consistency any longer, but a rebuilding team might. With four years of team control and one pre-arb year remaining, Meadows could be an affordable dice-roll for a team that believes they can revitalize the athletic center fielder.

Reliever Beau Brieske

In 2024, Beau Brieske was an intriguing swingman and important bullpen cog, and posted a 3.59 ERA over 46 appearances, including 12 starts. However, 2025 saw him struggle mightily with a 6.55 ERA thanks to ballooning walk and home run rates before a forearm injury cut his season short.

The Tigers decided to keep Brieske around while non-tendering Jason Foley, who had a more substantial track record. That might just be a temporary extension of the leash, however.

The worst-kept secret is that Detroit’s bullpen needs an overhaul, and they have other guys who can do what Brieske does. As a result, they could market his Swiss-army knife tendencies, pending a good bill of health, and move on via a minor trade once they’ve secured suitable replacements in the pen.

Infielder Colt Keith

Colt Keith was never in danger of being non-tendered. He’s been far too productive and has way too much talent for that. But that doesn’t mean he’s not feeling the squeeze. Keith was going to move to first base to accommodate Gleyber Torres, until Spencer Torkelson’s bat came alive.

He bounced around the infield and tried to stabilize the hot corner, but his arm strength was a liability there. With Torkelson entrenching himself at first base, Gleyber Torres back via the qualifying offer, and a trio of top prospects — Kevin McGonigle, Max Anderson, and Hao-Yu Lee — knocking on the door, things are starting to get crowded. On top of that, there’s a chance the Tigers take another run at Alex Bregman, and there’s also the fact that Zach McKinstry and Javier Baez can handle utility work, which could further make Keith the odd man out.

With his pedigree, a favorable contract that only costs $19.33 million for the next four seasons (plus some cheap options), and being only 24 years old, Keith could have a lot of value on the trade market. Could the Tigers flip him for a starter to pair with Tarik Skubal atop the rotation? Could he be floated in exchange for a veteran bat who better fits the roster? Could the swap him for a high-end fireman in the ninth? It might not be likely, but it is possible that moving Keith could be the way Detroit solves one of these issues.