What Are Tigers' AL Central Rivals Predicted To Do Ahead of Trade Deadline?
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As owners of the best record in Major League Baseball, the Detroit Tigers are going to be clear-cut buyers ahead of the trade deadline this year.
How aggressive the front office decides to be is a whole different discussion, but there's no doubt that pieces will be added for the stretch run of the season they hope will help get them over the hump and back to the Fall Classic.
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As for the other teams in the AL Central, Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report is predicting that Tigers fans should expect to see their division rivals start selling off assets.
Minnesota Twins
Sell
This is an interesting prediction.
With a .500 record entering Friday, the Minnesota Twins are just one game out of the final AL Wild Card spot, suggesting they could buy if they wanted to add some upgrades.
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However, Rymer isn't sold on that notion.
"The situation feels like a 'the center cannot hold' sort of thing, and the front office may be too risk-averse to simply stay the course in pursuit of a mere wild-card spot," he wrote.
Cleveland Guardians
Sell
As winners of this division in two out of the last three years, seeing this club perform like a middling team the way they have coming off an ALCS appearance is surprising.
Maybe that's what pushes the front office to reset and prepare for 2026.
"Barring an unlikely hot streak between now and July 31, the Guardians figure to cut their losses. Pending free agents such as Carlos Santana and Lane Thomas will be obvious trade chips, though teams can at least ask about the guys on the top shelf," Rymer wrote.
Kansas City Royals
Sell
If it weren't for a few others around the league, it would be hard not to select the Kansas City Royals as the most disappointing team in baseball considering how much buzz was surrounding them entering the season.
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But at one game under .500 entering the weekend, they are not out of the race by any means.
Rymer doesn't think they will upgrade their roster, though, writing, "We're not, well, buying it ... The Royals won't have a ton to offer the market, but they'll at least have to consider moving short-term chips like Carlos Estévez, Jonathan India and Michael Lorenzen."
Chicago White Sox
Sell
This is an obvious one.
It's another tough year on the South Side of Chicago, and they are still looking to get back whatever future assets they can for anyone that has value on their current roster.
While a fire sale might not be coming in 2025, they will assuredly move some pieces.
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