Costa and Jansen with Heather<\/a>. Hosts Jim Costa and Jon Jansen asked Harris several questions about the July 31 deadline.<\/p>\nWe\u2019ll dive into his responses in a moment. But first, some trade deadline context.<\/p>\n
Decade of selling at deadline<\/p>\n
July hasn\u2019t been a fun month for baseball fans in Detroit. Since the David Price deal that sent Austin Jackson to the Mariners and Drew Smyly and Willy Adames to the Rays on July 31, 2014, the Tigers have been a midseason thrift store for contending teams.<\/p>\n
Back in 2014, the Tigers acquired Price and reliever Joakim Soria to boost a roster that would eventually win its fourth-straight AL Central title.<\/p>\n
In the offseason, they went out and added Shane Greene, Yoenis Cespedes, and Alfredo Simon. But by July, the team was out of the running and sent Price, Soria, and Cespedes to contenders at the deadline.<\/p>\n
That marked the start of a long stretch of losing. Here are the trade deadline deals the Tigers have made since:<\/p>\n
July 18, 2017: J.D. Martinez to the Diamondbacks for Dawel Lugo, Sergio Alcantara, and Jose King.<\/p>\n
July 31, 2017: Alex Avila and Justin Wilson to the Cubs for Jeimer Candelario and Isaac Paredes.<\/p>\n
Aug. 31, 2017 (waiver trade deadline): Justin Upton to the Angels for Elvin Rodriguez and Grayson Long.<\/p>\n
Aug. 31, 2017 (waiver trade deadline): Justin Verlander and Juan Ramirez to the Astros for Jake Rogers, Daz Cameron, and Franklin Perez.<\/p>\n
July 31, 2018: Leonys Martin and Kyle Dowdy to Cleveland for Willi Castro.<\/p>\n
Aug. 6, 2018 (waiver trade deadline): Mike Fiers to the Athletics for Nolan Blackwood and Logan Shore.<\/p>\n
July 31, 2019: Nick Castellanos to the Cubs for Alex Lange and Paul Richan.<\/p>\n
July 31, 2019: Shane Greene to the Braves for Joey Wentz and Travis Demeritte.<\/p>\n
Aug. 31, 2020: Cameron Maybin to the Cubs for Zack Short.<\/p>\n
July 30, 2021: Daniel Norris to the Brewers for Reese Olson.<\/p>\n
Aug. 2, 2022: Robbie Grossman to the Braves for Kris Anglin.<\/p>\n
Aug. 2, 2022: Michael Fulmer to the Twins for Sawyer Gipson-Long.<\/p>\n
Aug. 1, 2023: Michael Lorenzen to the Phillies for Hau-Yu Lee.<\/p>\n
July 28, 2024: Carson Kelly to the Rangers for Tyler Owens and Liam Hicks.<\/p>\n
July 30, 2024: Mark Canha to the Giants for Eric Silva.<\/p>\n
July 30, 2024: Andrew Chafin to the Rangers for Chase Lee and Joseph Montalvo.<\/p>\n
July 30, 2024: Jack Flaherty to the Dodgers for Trey Sweeney and Thayron Liranzo.<\/p>\n
Tigers in position to buy at deadline<\/p>\n
Some of those trades have worked out for the Tigers — some are even directly contributing to this year\u2019s success.<\/p>\n
But that doesn\u2019t mean the deadlines have been fun. The Tigers (with the exception of last year) have had a lot of really bad teams.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s not the case this season. Quite the opposite, in fact. The Tigers are already 20 games above .500 and own the best record in baseball.<\/p>\n
At 44-24, the Tigers lead the AL Central by eight games over the Minnesota Twins, nine games over the Cleveland Guardians, and 9.5 games over the Kansas City Royals.<\/p>\n
The New York Yankees are 2.5 games behind the Tigers for the second-best record in the American League, while the current NL West-leading Houston Astros are seven back of the Tigers (relevant in the first-round bye discussion).<\/p>\n
So for the first time in about a decade, all of the Tigers\u2019 top players will stay put.<\/p>\n
Are Tigers buyers at deadline?<\/p>\n
What Harris said:<\/p>\n
Right off the bat, Harris was asked by Costa and Jansen whether the Tigers are going to be buyers at the trade deadline.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope so,\u201d Harris said. \u201cWe\u2019re 20 games over .500 right now. We\u2019re playing really well. I think we\u2019re preparing to add to this team in July, but we\u2019ve got to keep playing well to put ourselves in a position to do that.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re going to take a cold, hard look at our weaknesses and try to turn those weaknesses into strengths. If we identify a specific weakness and the market has players available who we think can address that weakness, we\u2019re going to chase those players aggressively. That\u2019s always been my approach in Chicago and San Francisco. We don\u2019t really get caught up in the headlines and the momentum. We just hunt for players that we think can help us.\u201d<\/p>\n
BALTIMORE, MD – JUNE 10: Gleyber Torres #25 of the Detroit Tigers celebrates a win after a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 10, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton\/Getty Images) (2025 Getty Images)<\/p>\n
He pointed to the offseason additions of Gleyber Torres, Jack Flaherty, and Tommy Kahnle. Those signings didn\u2019t make much noise around the league, but Torres and Kahnle have a chance to be All-Stars, and Flaherty is rounding into form with four-straight quality starts — 24.2 innings, 29 strikeouts, a 1.46 ERA, and an 0.78 WHIP over that span.<\/p>\n
What it means:<\/p>\n
These comments were pretty straightforward. Harris isn\u2019t going to come right out and divulge his plans — especially not seven weeks before the deadline.<\/p>\n
More than ever, trades are about leverage. The Tigers don\u2019t want to come out and say they\u2019re absolutely going to be adding a starting pitcher or a closer or a shortstop, because then those prices will go up.<\/p>\n
Right now, there aren\u2019t any obvious, glaring weaknesses on this roster, so Harris can afford to play his cards close to the chest.<\/p>\n
Yes, there\u2019s uncertainty about his ability to improve a roster via trade, but that\u2019s only because he hasn\u2019t had an opportunity to do so in Detroit. But the way he\u2019s turned this organization around should earn him the benefit of the doubt.<\/p>\n
Specific needs<\/p>\n
What Haris said:<\/p>\n
Harris understandably didn\u2019t want to get into specifics about need — how would a player feel if they heard the team president openly talking about how he needed to be replaced?<\/p>\n
Instead, Harris spoke more broadly about his deadline philosophy.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t really know right now because we\u2019re still banged up,\u201d Harris said. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to believe that we\u2019re in the position that we are and we still have had so many injuries.<\/p>\n
\u201cA player I know the fans love, and we love internally, is Matt Vierling. He\u2019s kind of a glue guy for our roster. He allows us to position our other players in different situations because he can play the infield, he can play the outfield. He mauls left-handed pitching. He hits right-handed pitching, as well. I\u2019m looking forward to getting him back and seeing how the roster takes shape when he\u2019s back offensively.<\/p>\n
\u201cPitching-wise, we\u2019re still down four starters, plus Jose Urquidy. Then, in the bullpen, Alex Lange is down. We lost Jason Foley. So I think there\u2019s some time for us to get healthy and see what the roster looks like before we can identify the specific weaknesses that we set out to address through the trade deadline.\u201d<\/p>\n
Harris said he\u2019s not focusing on specific possible playoff matchups, but instead trying to make the Tigers as \u201cunpredictable and tough to match up with as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
What it means:<\/p>\n
Yes, this was a bit of a coach speak answer, but that\u2019s a good thing. There\u2019s no reason for Harris to make waves right now when the Tigers are winning.<\/p>\n
His comments are also true: The Tigers are going to add to their current roster without even making a trade.<\/p>\n
Reese Olson, Jackson Jobe, and Alex Cobb are all out with injury. Parker Meadows just got back, and Vierling should return to the infield\/outfield mix at some point.<\/p>\n
Who from the current roster are we rushing to replace? Maybe a bullpen arm as insurance for struggling righties John Brebbia and Beau Brieske? Perhaps an offensive upgrade at shortstop?<\/p>\n
BALTIMORE, MD – JUNE 10: Zach McKinstry #39 of the Detroit Tigers scores on a Wenceel P\u00e9rez #46 sacrifice fly in the second inning during a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 10, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton\/Getty Images) (2025 Getty Images)<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not like the Tigers have to make sweeping changes. I\u2019d say there are about 23 or 24 guys on the 26-man roster who are locked in for the long haul. You aren\u2019t going to just ditch players like Zach McKinstry and Wenceel Perez who have performed well so far.<\/p>\n
Short-term urgency vs. longevity<\/p>\n
What Harris said:<\/p>\n
Harris was asked whether he feels a heightened sense of urgency to go all-in for a World Series this year, rather than focus on an extended window of competitive baseball.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur minor-league system is dominating on both sides of the ball,\u201d Harris said. \u201cWe\u2019re one of the best overall pitching staffs through all the levels in the minor leagues, and one of the best offenses. We\u2019re hitting the ball really hard. We\u2019re making good decisions at the plate.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis organization is about as healthy as it\u2019s been, and we have this feeling that this team\u2019s going to get better. We\u2019re going to continue to add impact talent through our farm system to this group of players that\u2019s already going to stay together and play together for a while.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo it doesn\u2019t feel like a moment in time where, \u2018Hey, we\u2019ve got to maximize our chances of winning the World Series in this specific year.\u2019 We\u2019re going to do everything we can to try to win the World Series this year, but there\u2019s a real feeling here that we\u2019re hopefully going to keep doing our jobs, keep playing at a really high level, and have multiple opportunities to try to win the World Series.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnyone who\u2019s followed an organization for a long time knows that the best way to win the World Series is to position yourself to be in the mix in October every single year.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe haven\u2019t done anything yet. We don\u2019t have it all figured out in this organization, but there\u2019s this feeling of momentum in this organization.\u201d<\/p>\n
What it means:<\/p>\n
Preach!<\/p>\n
This will be an unpopular answer for fans who want the Tigers to push all their chips to the center of the table, but I was relieved to hear that Harris isn\u2019t going to mortgage the future for the present.<\/p>\n
The MLB playoffs are basically a tossup. Did anyone expect the Diamondbacks and Rangers to make the World Series two years ago? Who thought the Tigers would go further than the Astros last season?<\/p>\n
In my opinion, the best way to win a World Series is to give yourself as many bites at the apple as possible.<\/p>\n
DETROIT, MICHIGAN – JUNE 08: A rear view as Kerry Carpenter #30 of the Detroit Tigers raises his arms in celebration after hitting a double against the Chicago Cubs at Comerica Park on June 08, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Nic Antaya\/Getty Images) (2025 Nic Antaya)<\/p>\n
If the Tigers trade away a bunch of young players and prospects to improve this year\u2019s, then yes, they would marginally increase their odds to win the World Series in 2025.<\/p>\n
But does that one-year increase actually make it more likely that the city of Detroit gets a World Series in the next 10 years? What if the pieces you gave up to get better in 2025 decrease your chances in 2026 and beyond?<\/p>\n
Theoretically, what if this team can make the postseason six or seven times in the next 10 seasons? That\u2019s six or seven chances to get hot at the right time and win the World Series.<\/p>\n
Would you rather have one 15% chance to win the World Series or six 10% chances to win the World Series? I know what I\u2019d choose. Plus, nobody wants to repeat the long stretch of losing we just survived.<\/p>\n
The Tigers aren\u2019t going to spend $500 million in free agency, so they need a World Series plan that matches that mentality. That plan should be to make the playoffs as often as possible.<\/p>\n
Draft. Develop. Identify talent early enough to lock players down at a reasonable cost (like Colt Keith). Then you can add strategically to that nucleus to fill in the gaps.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s how the Tigers should operate to stay competitive over a long period of time. And it sounds like that\u2019s the plan.<\/p>\n
Nobody considered \u2018untouchable\u2019<\/p>\n
What Harris said:<\/p>\n
Harris was asked if any player in the Tigers organization is \u201cuntouchable\u201d — someone he wouldn\u2019t even consider trading.<\/p>\n
He said no, nobody is untouchable. But that obviously comes with a caveat.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy job is to position this organization to win as much as we can, so I don\u2019t think trading some players who have a chance to be impact big leaguers for a long time in Detroit is the smartest thing to do,\u201d Harris said. \u201cSo, again, we\u2019re going to try to be pragmatic. We\u2019re going to look at both sides of a potential deal, and we\u2019re going to try to make the ones that we think are going to help us get to the next level both this year and in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n
What it means:<\/p>\n
People are probably going to see that Harris said nobody is untouchable and immediately jump to, \u201cHe\u2019s trading Max Clark!\u201d<\/p>\n
I would be stunned if the Tigers trade Clark. Or Kevin McGonigle. Or Bryce Rainer. Or even Josue Briceno and Thayron Liranzo, for that matter. They don\u2019t need to make a move that big unless they\u2019re adding someone with value beyond 2025.<\/p>\n
But Harris should absolutely listen. It\u2019s his job. If the Pirates called about Paul Skenes (they won\u2019t) and Harris hung up, that would basically be malpractice.<\/p>\n
I want Harris to hear out every single offer that comes his way, because even if he doesn\u2019t accept, it gives him information about who\u2019s available and how other organizations view certain players — both his and their own.<\/p>\n
That can ignite future discussions, even if it doesn\u2019t immediately lead to a trade.<\/p>\n
Final thoughts<\/p>\n
I did not love the Flaherty deal last deadline — that\u2019s no secret. I thought Flaherty was the best starter on the market and the Tigers didn\u2019t get the best return.<\/p>\n
Well, Harris knew what he was doing. Trey Sweeney has been a solid addition, and Liranzo emerged as a unanimous top-100 prospect. Not to mention the Tigers made the playoffs anyway and brought Flaherty back this offseason.<\/p>\n
Not every move has been a win for Harris, but the vast majority have been. The improvement he outlined during his introductory press conference has played out exactly as promised, and the result is a first-place team just three years in.<\/p>\n
I liked what I heard from Harris on Wednesday, but he didn\u2019t need to say anything. His team is doing the talking for him, and I see no reason to doubt the Tigers will be even better after the deadline.<\/p>\n
Copyright 2025 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"DETROIT \u2013 Detroit Tigers President Scott Harris spoke extensively about the team\u2019s approach to this year\u2019s trade deadline…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":105272,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2386],"tags":[4650,5,147,53,2583,4,594],"class_list":{"0":"post-105271","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-detroit-tigers","8":"tag-2025-detroit-tigers","9":"tag-baseball","10":"tag-detroit","11":"tag-detroit-tigers","12":"tag-detroittigers","13":"tag-mlb","14":"tag-tigers"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@mlb\/114686597836710753","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105271","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=105271"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105271\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/105272"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=105271"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=105271"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=105271"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}