Could Detroit Tigers Make Aggressive Play for Superstar Slugger at Trade Deadline?
In this story:
The Detroit Tigers have championship aspirations and a World Series-caliber rotation.
Tarik Skubal is the reigning American League Cy Young winner, and he has the stuff to repeat in 2025. He's the kind of ace who can face the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers and beat them in their own yard. He'll get a chance to show that premium upside on Opening Day.
The Tigers brought back veteran Jack Flaherty, who Detroit traded to the Dodgers before the deadline in 2024. He is coming off a very strong year that ended with him earning his first World Series ring. He was a great signing who brings stability to the rotation.
Then there is AL Rookie of the Year contender Jackson Jobe, who looks like a future Cy Young winner himself. There is no guarantee that Jobe starts the season in the Tigers' rotation, but he has top-five pitcher in the league upside.
If and when Jobe reaches his potential, Detroit's three-headed monster can outpitch anyone in a playoff series.
That's the good news.
The bad news is the Tigers were a below average offense in 2024 and they didn't add any gamechangers this winter.
Gleyber Torres is a classic bounce back year candidate who is still angry with his former team, the New York Yankees, who happen to be Detroit's biggest road block to postseason glory.
A player who has been a strong performer in the past, in a contract year, who has a sizeable chip on his shoulder, is the kind of guy who can make a difference, especially when still 28 years old entering their eighth big league season like Torres is.
Riley Greene is already the team's best everyday player who, in a best-case scenario, could at least be a fringe MVP contender.
Torres and Greene represent a strong foundation, but neither player is Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who is just 25 years old coming off a 6.2 bWAR season with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Guerrero's best year to date came in 2021 when he slashed .311/.401/.601 with a league-leading 48 homers and 6.7 bWAR. That's the kind of MVP-caliber centerpiece the Tigers need to become a perennial contender.
He would also provide premium protection for emerging Greene.
Adding him next winter would be a huge plus for Detroit, although it's going to be an expensive one after Jeff Passan of ESPN reported the slugger proposed a 15-year, $600 million deal to the Blue Jays.
Major League Baseball contracts are getting a bit out of control these days, but that deal is significantly less than the $765 million the New York Mets paid Juan Soto.
The Tigers let Alex Bregman slip through their fingers, but they were in the hunt for his services until the very end. They also have to pay Skubal in the next couple of years, or he'll be able to test the market in 2027.
That situation gives them a minimum of a two-season window as a contender, with premium pitching that can carry a series against anyone.
They are the exact type of team that should make a major move at this year's trade deadline.
Guerrero Jr. is in the last season of his contract and he's the sort of player the Blue Jays might trade if they fall out of contention.
Guerrero Jr. is the finishing piece Detroit needs, and the one Tigers fans deserve.
Recommended Articles
Ryan Reynolds has worked in sports media since 2019, where he’s primarily covered the NFL. He got his start writing for Evan Silva and Adam Levitan’s Establish the Run where Ryan became an authority on NFL awards markets. Ryan recently served as an Associate Director and content headliner for former NFL executives Joe Banner and Mike Tannenbaum at The 33rd Team. Ryan has also made multiple guest appearances on Fantasy Sports Radio on SiriusXM and VSiN. Outside of sports Ryan has a bachelor’s degree in accounting, graduating with honors from the University of Minnesota. He now has nearly a decade’s worth of experience in management. You can find Ryan on X @RyanReynoldsNFL or email him at RyanReynoldsNFL@gmail.com.