Tigers Running Out of Time After Top Relievers Come off Trade Market

With less than 24 hours until the MLB trade deadline, the Detroit Tigers are watching one of the most coveted bullpen arms slip away.

According to Ken Rosenthal, the Phillies are closing in on a deal for Twins closer Jhoan Duran, who was arguably the top swing-and-miss, high-leverage reliever on the market. If that deal gets finalized, the Tigers may find themselves scrambling to find a comparable upgrade.

Less than an hour later, the Cardinals sent Ryan Helsley to the New York Mets.

Detroit’s need is no secret. The Tigers have dropped 13 of their last 16 games, and their bullpen has been one of the AL’s shakiest since the All-Star break. While they’ve added Chris Paddack to the rotation and Randy Dobnak for depth, they still lack a true strikeout threat in the late innings.

With Duran likely gone, the Tigers will need to pivot quickly. Among the top remaining names: Pittsburgh’s David Bednar, Tampa Bay’s Pete Fairbanks, and Minnesota’s Griffin Jax. All have team control and are drawing interest, but none will come cheap.

Other possibilities include San Diego’s Robert Suarez or Oakland’s Mason Miller. Detroit has the prospect capital to make a deal, but the price may be steeper than they hoped—especially with multiple contenders still shopping for relief.

A.J. Hinch has made it clear this team expects to contend. But without a power arm in the back end, that October path looks shaky. The clock is ticking.