Tigers Well Positioned to Strike After Mariners Trade for Josh Naylor

The Detroit Tigers may have just seen a path open to a major trade deadline upgrade.

On Wednesday, the Seattle Mariners acquired Josh Naylor from the Arizona Diamondbacks, likely taking them out of the Eugenio Suarez sweepstakes. Multiple teams, including the Tigers, could emerge as serious suitors for Suarez before the 2025 MLB trade deadline.

The Tigers have been linked to Suarez in recent weeks and remain a strong fit. Detroit is chasing a playoff spot, but the offense has hit a wall. The team has lost 10 of its last 11 games, and third base remains a hole in both production and consistency.

If Suarez is on the block, the Tigers are in a great position to strike.

Their deep farm system was just spotlighted in The Athletic’s midseason prospect rankings, with four players in the top 50—including No. 1 Kevin McGonigle and No. 2 Max Clark. That gives Detroit the leverage to win a bidding war against other interested teams like the New York Yankees.

With postseason experience and right-handed power, Suarez checks a lot of boxes.

Still, Detroit has backup options.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Ramon Urias offer more versatility if the Tigers pivot to defense and utility. But Suarez might be the most impactful right now—and the Tigers may not get many chances like this.

The Josh Naylor deal could be the spark that starts a real push in Detroit. If the Tigers want to stay in the race, adding a proven bat at third base should be the next move.