Tigers Land Swing-and-Miss Reliever From Guardians

The Tigers continued to build their pitching depth on Thursday. Eight hours before the MLB 2025 trade deadline, they acquired veteran reliever Paul Sewald from the Guardians. On the heels of adding Randy Dobnak and Rafael Montero, Sewald is another experienced right-hander who can help a bullpen that's already been taxed.

Sewald, 34, hasn’t matched his peak numbers from earlier in the decade, but the swing-and-miss stuff is still there. Over the last three seasons, he’s posted a whiff rate near 30%, and in 15.1 innings this year, he’s struck out 18 with just four walks. The ERA sits at 4.70, but he’s been mostly effective in low-leverage spots for Cleveland.

What makes Sewald intriguing for Detroit is how he complements the current group. The Tigers have leaned hard on Will Vest, Tommy Kahnle, and Tyler Holton. All three have been solid, but with Detroit holding a comfortable lead in the AL Central, adding a veteran with swing-and-miss upside makes sense. Sewald gives manager A.J. Hinch another option to mix and match in the middle innings or protect leads without overworking his primary arms.

Sewald is currently on the injured list, but J.P. Morosi reports he is expected back in the beginning of September.

The splits this year have been fairly even. He’s held lefties to a .240 average and righties to .250. His four-seam fastball and slider combo still generates weak contact and awkward swings, even if the velocity isn’t what it was during his Seattle prime.

This isn’t the kind of trade that grabs headlines, but it’s the type that can quietly pay off in August. If Sewald finds his rhythm, he gives the Tigers flexibility and experience in tight games. If he doesn’t, the cost was minimal.

With bigger bullpen names still circulating on the market, the Tigers may not be done. But they’ve added a proven arm with a track record of getting outs—and that’s a smart play for a team with October in its sights.