Detroit Tigers Bid Farewell to Jahmai Jones Following Trade
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The Detroit Tigers might be on break this week following the end of the first half of 2026, ahead of All-Star Game festivities, but the front office is still hard at work getting this team ready for a comeback. And with the trade deadline looming, Detroit made an under-the-radar move before the big day (Trade Deadline is August 3).
Ahead of first pitch for the 2026 All-Star Game, the Tigers made a trade with the Boston Red Sox, sending outfielder Jahmai Jones to the Sox for a player to be named later. Jones was designated for assignment on July 9 to make room for Eduardo Valencia, making his debut on an MLB roster the same day.
Boston optioned infielder/outfielder Nate Eaton to Triple-A to make room for Jones.
The Tigers have traded OF Jahmai Jones to the Boston Red Sox for a player to be named.
— Tigers PR (@DetroitTigersPR) July 14, 2026
Jones has struggled this season tremendously, as the former lefty masher has lost all his power at the plate. In 2026, with Detroit, Jones .137 (13-for-95) with two doubles, two home runs, seven RBI and 10 walks in 57 games. Jones did a complete 180 from how he performed for the Tigers last season.
In 2025, Jones made Tigers fans feel comfortable when he came to the plate with a left-handed pitcher on the mound, hitting .288 with seven home runs and 17 RBIs in 104 at-bats. Against lefties in 2026, he hit .154, hitting both of his two home runs in the process.
This Trade is a Win
For Detroit, this is a move that should be taken as a win. Jones has always been credited as a hard worker and has gotten along well with his teammates in the dugout and clubhouse. They're also sending him to a historic franchise with the Green Monster potentially working in his favor, should he start making contact at the plate.
Here's the official clause of how the Player to be Named Later system works in Major League Baseball, and what Tigers fans should expect, as well as who they could potentially get.
"In other instances, the club sending the PTBNL away will provide the acquiring club with a list of players from which to select the PTBNL. In such cases, an agreed-upon deadline -- by which the acquiring club must select the PTBNL -- will often be set," via MLB.com.
It's unknown which players have been listed by Boston for Detroit to look at, but that's besides the point now. The Tigers return to action Friday night against the Los Angeles Angels with a roster now looking to continue their fight back into the playoff picture.
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Dominic Minchella is a 2024 Eastern Michigan University graduate with a BA in Communications, Media, and Theatre Arts and a Journalism minor. He covers Major League Baseball for On SI and spends his free time watching games and sharing his insights.