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Tigers Work Ahead of MLB Trade Deadline Summed Up in One Word

Originally posted on Detroit Tigers on SI
By Kenneth Teape | Last updated Aug 5, 2025 4:00 PM ET

The Detroit Tigers were a team that many people were keeping a close eye on heading into the MLB trade deadline.

As the team with the best record in baseball for most of the time this year, it made sense that they would be seeking upgrades to fortify their standing atop the MLB.

Leading up to the deadline, they were connected to several players who would have made a major impact on their odds of winning the World Series.

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Third baseman Eugenio Suarez would have been a major upgrade at the hot corner, a position they aren’t getting much production from. In need of bullpen help, the Tigers were reportedly seeking out controllable options to upgrade the backend, such as David Bednar of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Alas, moves of that magnitude were not made by Detroit, who opted to fill gaps without parting with any of their top prospects.

As a result of that, the one word used by Levi Weaver of The Athletic (subscription required) to describe their MLB trade deadline was “quantity.”

The Tigers certainly took the quantity over quality approach, stockpiling arms for their pitching staff but not adding many needle movers.

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With Reese Olson going down for a significant length of time with an injury, joining Jackson Jobe on the sidelines, Detroit acquired Chris Paddack from the Minnesota Twins and Charlie Morton from the Baltimore Orioles.

Bednar landed with the New York Yankees and the San Diego Padres didn’t move Robert Suarez even after adding Mason Miller from the Athletics.

The Tigers were certainly busy adding bullpen arms, but they didn’t make any loud moves.

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Their biggest addition was Kyle Finnegan from the Washington Nationals, who should take over as their closer.

Rafael Montero was acquired from the Atlanta Braves, while the injured Paul Sewald was acquired from the Cleveland Guardians. Codi Heuer, who was traded from the Texas Rangers, was sent to the minor leagues.

Keider Montero and Troy Melton, two players who have started games for Detroit this year, are heading to the bullpen as well.

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There was a lot of action from the Tigers' front office and they at least made moves to shake up a bullpen that was desperately in need of reinforcements.

Maybe the right combination can be found from the holdovers and new faces, but it is certainly fair to question whether enough was done to improve the roster ahead of the deadline.

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This article first appeared on Detroit Tigers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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