Breaking Down Why Tigers Acquiring Chris Paddack Could Be Sneaky Good Move

After a terrible start to the second half of the season, the Detroit Tigers are starting to play a bit better of late.

The Tigers were a team that didn’t have too many bad stretches in the first half, which resulted in them having the best record in the American League for much of the year.

However, losing eight of the first nine games after the All-Star break was a significant disappointment.

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Like during the offseason, Detroit didn’t make too many major splashes at the trade deadline, but they did add some veterans to the team.

While a lot of the targets that they were rumored to be a good fit for did get a deal, the Tigers took a more conservative approach. It was very clear that they weren’t interested in trading any of their top prospects, and that is likely a good decision long-term.

However, with a chance to win in 2025, the decisions, or lack thereof, during the summer could come back to bite them if they don’t have success in October.

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Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report recently wrote about the addition of Chris Paddack for the Detroit Tigers being a potentially sneaky good move.

“He made his Tigers debut on Wednesday and tossed six innings of three-hit, one-run ball against the D-backs for his second consecutive quality start.”

On the surface, the addition of Paddack for Detroit likely didn’t do much more than provide some depth for their rotation. As a team with such high expectations, the Tigers not making a splash was seen as a bit of a disappointment.

This was a team that was struggling a bit heading into the trade deadline, and while they made several additions, none would be considered star players.

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In the rotation, they added both Paddack and Charlie Morton to provide some depth for the unit, which was needed.

So far this season, Paddack has totaled a 4-9 record and 4.77 ERA. While the numbers don’t jump off the page, he is capable of being a fourth or fifth starter for the team.

What is encouraging to see is that in his last two starts, he has gone six innings each time, allowing just one run. Getting a back-end of the rotation starter going six innings is rare, but it helps save the bullpen immensely.

Overall, there is a possibility that Paddack could start a playoff game for the Tigers. If he continues to pitch well and accomplishes that, it would certainly be a sneaky good move. With the right-hander at the very least being able to provide depth, this is a low-risk addition for Detroit.

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