Tigers executive reveals why team didn't swing blockbuster trade at deadline

Tigers executive reveals why team didn't swing blockbuster trade at deadline originally appeared on The Sporting News

The Detroit Tigers made a plethora of moves at the trade deadline, but none were classified as a "blockbuster" trade, which fans were hoping to make. 

Detroit brought in multiple relievers and two starters, but didn't add a premier closer, nor did they bring in a right-handed hitting batter to the lineup.

In a piece from Evan Petzold of The Detroit Free Press, Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris revealed why the Tigers didn't swing a blockbuster trade at the 2025 deadline.

"The flashiest move fails to impact the team as much as you would have hoped or liked," Harris explained. "They're not always the most effective moves."

Detroit didn't make a huge move at the deadline and held onto all of its top prospects. While their prospect strength remains, the additions to the roster might not be enough, considering what some of their AL counterparts did.

The Seattle Mariners landed Eugenio Suarez and Josh Naylor, the Houston Astros brought in Carlos Correa and a few other pieces, while the Texas Rangers landed Merrill Kelly. 

While their in-division rivals all either sold or bought sparingly, the rest of the top contenders made big deals. Over in the NL, the San Diego Padres added Mason Miller, while the Philadelphia Phillies brought in Jhoan Duran.

MORE: Tigers lost out to Mets on trade for Cardinals' Ryan Helsley

Even if those weren't options for Harris to target, they could've gone after more high-profile players than the ones they landed. While Kyle Finnegan, Charlie Morton, Chris Paddack, and a slew of others aren't bad additions, compared to the potential, it's a lackluster deadline.

Some of the prices around the game were really high for short-term rental relievers," Harris said, "We felt like it was a better approach for us to attack it in volume with some guys that we like, some guys that are doing some things under the hood that we really value."

With the high price tag and Harris's belief that the big deadline moves aren't always the most impactful, it's no surprise he didn't swing a blockbuster deal like some of the other contenders did.

If just one of those players hits and finds success in Detroit, then it'd be a successful deadline. Morton and Paddack looked good in their debuts, and Harris, despite missing on some of the top names, might've put together a strong deadline.

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