Tigers Should Be All Over Potential Orioles Blockbuster Trade for Felix Bautista
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The Detroit Tigers are among the most prominent contenders in Major League Baseball as they prepare to come out of the All-Star break with the most wins out of anyone.
As they prepare to approach the trade deadline a couple of weeks from now at the end of the month, the Tigers are in desperate need of some bullpen help as things are starting to implode a little bit in that area.
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Despite the impressive record, Detroit finished the first half on their first four-game losing streak of the season in a period in which the bullpen gave up a staggering 26 combined runs across the four contests.
The Tigers need to go out and make a move to shore things up in the area and give themselves a better chance to have a shutdown bullpen to win games when the going gets tough in October.
There's one player out there who could be the best fit for Detroit if they want to add a true closer and alpha dog into what is still ultimately a very young room.
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In a report of the scuttlebutt surrounding the Baltimore Orioles, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription required) revealed that Baltimore is "at least listening" to offers for their star shutdown man Felix Bautista.
Coming off an absurdly dominant 2023 season, Bautista underwent Tommy John surgery and missed all of last year. He has returned to spectacular form getting back on the field in 2025 though, pitching to a 2.41 ERA along with 48 strikeouts in 33.2 innings and recording 18 saves on a bad Orioles team.
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Baltimore is likely understandably hesitant to trade away the 30-year-old given the fact he will still be under team control for two more seasons after 2025. As a result, any potential deal for Bautista is going to be anything but cheap.
If the Tigers could potentially pry him away though without giving up any of their three or four premium prospects, this is an absolute no-brainer of a deal.
Bautista is among the best closers in baseball and immediately solves Detroit's biggest issue if he were to come to the Motor City.
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Getting the Orioles to agree to an even semi reasonable trade package is going to be easier said than done, but if Baltimore is listening, the Tigers are the ones they should be listening to.
Keep an eye on Bautista's name to heat up as the deadline approaches now less than two weeks from now.
For more Tigers news, head over to Tigers On SI.
Michael Brauner is a 2022 graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in Sports Media. He covers various MLB teams across the On SI network and you can also find his work on Yellowhammer News covering the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers as well as on the radio producing and co-hosting 'The Opening Kickoff' every weekday morning on 105.5 WNSP FM in Mobile, Alabama.