Tigers' Recent Hot Stretch Could Change Everything at Trade Deadline

Don't look now, but Detroit has picked things up a little.

Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) walks off the field for pitching change during the seventh inning against Milwaukee Brewers at Comerica Park in Detroit on Thursday, April 23, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Detroit Tigers went on a tailspin after Tarik Skubal went down with an elbow injury and had surgery to clean up bone chips in that elbow. In fact, at one point, the Tigers were even tied with the Colorado Rockies for the worst record in Major League Baseball.

The Tigers are still 26-38 on the season and have the third-worst record in the American League. However, the AL is about as weak as possibly imaginable, which means the Tigers aren't quite buried yet.

In fact, they have won four games in a row. Bob Nightengale of USA Today points out that this could change everything at the trade deadline.

"Don't look now, but just when everyone is preparing to watch Tarik Skubal's rehab assignment and start composing trade proposals, the Detroit Tigers have just won 4 consecutive games," Nightengale posted on X. "They are still just 26-38, but in the weak AL, are somehow just 5 games out of a wild-card berth."

Tigers' surge could change everything at trade deadline

Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) throws against Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Thursday, April 23, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Because the Tigers were playing so poorly, almost everybody in the industry was expecting them to sell at the trade deadline, and that includes back-to-back Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, who is in the final year of his contract and unlikely to remain in Detroit past the 2026 season.

However, with the AL being as weak as it is, the Tigers are not buried just yet, and just a few more wins could have them right back in the thick of the postseason chase. As far as the trade deadline goes though, if they continue playing well, then perhaps not only do the Tigers not sell, but Skubal ultimately stays put as Detroit gears up to make another run to the postseason.

They were a wild card team in 2024 and 2025. It's also important to remember that after selling in 2024, they were well under .500 before making their push to the playoffs. So, in truth, anything can happen.

And if the Tigers can get back into the wild card race, then the chances of a Skubal trade go way down. He is expected to be the top player moved at the deadline, but it doesn't make sense to trade him if the Tigers are playing well, so that will ultimately be an interesting storyline to follow as the deadline draws closer and the playoff picture becomes clearer.