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Tigers Need To Pursue Pirates Versatile Veteran Placed on Outright Waivers

Originally posted on Detroit Tigers on SI
By Kenneth Teape | Last updated Aug 29, 2025 4:01 PM ET

The Detroit Tigers, while still being 8.5 games ahead of the Kansas City Royals in the American League Central, have not consistently been as dominant the last six weeks as they were earlier in the campaign.

Since pushing a season-high 25 games over the .500 mark following a victory over the Tampa Bay Rays, the team has had its fair share of struggles. The Tigers have been four games under .500 since that point and are currently riding a four-game losing streak. There have been several contributing factors to that, but offense has been a main issue.

Some of the team’s top sluggers who were red-hot in the first half have cooled off considerably. The production of All-Star Javier Baez has plummeted, with his season-long OPS+ now sitting at 91. Fellow All-Star Zach McKinstry has seen his production fall off a cliff in the second half as well.

The left side of the infield has been a problem for Detroit all year. Shortstop Trey Sweeney was arguably the least productive hitter in baseball at the position before he was demoted to Triple-A. Jace Jung, a highly touted prospect in his own right, was giving the team nothing at third base and has also been in the minor leagues.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa Would Be Perfect Addition For Tigers

Finding an upgrade at the hot corner was on the team’s to-do list ahead of the trade deadline. But the front office was unable to complete a deal despite rumors linking them to several players, including Eugenio Suarez. Making a trade to upgrade the infield is now out of the question, but the team could find some help on waivers.

Recently, the Pittsburgh Pirates placed veteran infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa on outright waivers. The news was shared by Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Every team in the MLB now has a chance to put a claim in on him, with waiver priority based on reverse standings.

That means the Tigers will be near the bottom of the list and will need some luck to have Kiner-Falefa make it to them. Despite the long odds, it is something they should do. There aren’t going to be many players of his capability available who can also be playoff eligible, making this the perfect time to strike.

Sources: The Pirates have placed Isiah Kiner-Falefa on outright waivers.
— Noah Hiles (@_NoahHiles) August 29, 2025

His slash line of .268/.304/.337 leaves something to be desired. He isn’t going to provide much pop with a 78 wRC+ and 80 OPS+, but it was only a year ago that he produced at an above-average level with the Toronto Blue Jays. In 83 games and 281 plate appearances, he had an OPS+ of 114.

That looks to be an outlier based on his career, but it does at least provide a little bit of hope that he can put up big numbers at the plate for a stretch of time. Even with his current level of production, he still offers a valuable asset with his speed since he has stolen 15 bases in 2025 and has been caught only four times.

Defense is his calling card at this point and he provides value across the diamond. He logged a majority of his innings at shortstop this year before moving to third base when Ke’Bryan Hayes was traded to the Cincinnati Reds. He is a plus-defender, with experience playing every position except first base in a Major League game.

In need of help in the infield, Kiner-Falefa would provide the Tigers with a much-needed boost to their bench, providing reliable speed and defense at the very least.