Analyzing Why Tigers Received Shockingly Poor Grade in Chris Paddack Trade

To start the second half of the season, the Detroit Tigers were struggling, and it figured to push them toward being more aggressive buyers at the deadline.

While the Tigers did make some notable additions, they didn’t make the significant splash that some might have been hoping for. After seeing players like David Bednar, Eugenio Suarez, Merrill Kelly, and Jhoan Duran all get dealt, Detroit appears like they might have underachieved.

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Due to multiple injuries to the starting rotation, the Tigers needed to add some help and depth. Losing both Jackson Jobe and Reese Olson for the rest of the year was a significant blow, and they needed to add some healthy arms.

Detroit was able to accomplish that by bringing in two veterans, but a more significant splash might have been what was best.

David Schoenfield of ESPN recently gave the Tigers trading for veteran Chris Paddack a shockingly poor grade of a ‘D’.

“Though it makes sense for the Tigers to acquire some pitching help, Paddack hardly projects as anything more than someone who might chew up a few extra innings beyond what they've been getting from their current back-end starters.”

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The grade of a ‘D’ for the acquisition of Paddack seems far too low. While the 29-year-old isn’t a star pitcher, he is a capable back-end of the rotation starter in the Majors.

Furthermore, to acquire him, it didn’t cost the Tigers all that much in terms of a prospect.

Where the poor grade likely stems from is that Paddack wouldn’t be a fantastic option as of now to start in a playoff game for the Tigers. Currently, the top of the rotation is comprised of Tarik Skubal, Jack Flaherty, and Casey Mize.

While Detroit should feel very comfortable with what Skubal is going to provide for them, Flaherty hasn’t been the same pitcher for them as he was last year. Furthermore, Mize had his worst month of the campaign in July.

Those three would figure to be playoff starters as of now, leaving Charlie Morton and Paddack to potentially be a Game 4 starter in a series.

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Even though the right-hander might not have been a star addition, the Tigers needed to add depth to a unit that has been hit hard by injuries. Acquiring Paddack and Morton does accomplish that.

Paddack looked good for Detroit in his debut with the team, throwing six innings and allowing just one run. It was his second straight start accomplishing that, and for the Tigers, it will hopefully be a sign of things to come.

For more Tigers news, head over to Tigers On SI.