These 5 Detroit Tigers will be gone by the MLB trade deadline

The Detroit Tigers haven't recovered from the news that Tarik Skubal will undergo elbow surgery. Skubal is expected to miss 2-3 months depending on the recovery timeline given by team doctors. In the meantime, though, the Tigers have lost five straight games. The good news for Detroit is that the AL Central is one of the worst divisions in baseball. The bad news is they're not taking advantage.

This Tigers team has many flaws. The lineup hasn't yet awoken from its winter slumber. The starting rotation, beyond Skubal, needs some work. Even the bullpen — despite the addition of Kenley Jansen this offseason — isn't what it should be. So, assuming Detroit doesn't turn around its season withouts its best player, what should fans expect at the MLB trade deadline?

Jack Flaherty

Flaherty isn't what he used to be. Namely, he is not on the short list to make an All-Star team. Flaherty has a 5.56 ERA on the season. What was expected to be a mid-rotation starting pitcher has been anything but, and his control is perhaps his most concerning issue.

But in his last start, Flaherty struck out 10 batters and allowed just one earned run. Flaherty deemed that appearance a lot to build off of. At times, Flaherty still has what once made him an attractive trade deadline target for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Do you see where I'm going with this?

If the Tigers are bad — or even middling at the trade deadline this time around — history could repeat itself. Flaherty is in a contract year and is likely to test free agency once again. If for some reason Skubal isn't available, he could be the most attractive pitcher on the Tigers roster who is available.

Hao-Yu Lee

Lee is one of the Tigers top prospects, and by no means is he alone to blame for the team's issues right now. Lee received the surprise of a lifetime when his family flew out from halfway around the world to watch him play in Detroit. He's a feel-good story in a season that thus far has very few of those for the Tigers. As much as I wish he were playing better, he simply isn't, which could lead to another minor-league stint in the not-so-distant future.

Lee is hitting just .159 in under 50 at-bats. He hasn't received many opportunities, but right now is buried on the depth chart for a Tigers team that isn't hitting all that well outside of Riley Greene and Kevin McGonigle. If there's another prospect on the Tigers farm who can contribute to the lineup with Skubal on the mend, Lee could be sent down as a result.

Gleyber Torres

I'm a fan of what Torres brings to the Tigers lineup. They are not a very patient team in general, and did little to address that this past winter. The one thing Scott Harris did do is sign Torres to a qualifying offer, which the second baseman took after perusing the market. This means Gleyber is on an expiring contract, which could prove quite valuable to the Tigers if they're looking to sell off assets at the trade deadline.

Torres has a .712 OPS and a 1.2 WAR so far on the season. He's as steady as they come, and despite his declining abilities defensively, is far from a liability in the middle infield. Torres was placed on the 10-day injured list just last week with an oblique injury, but AJ Hinch doesn't expect him to be out long.

“Gleyber’s been getting treatment and getting looked at by doctors, and things like that, and it continues to be stagnant,” Hinch said. “We’ve played short the last couple of days. Hopefully this will resolve itself within the short time period, but nowadays, I don’t know.”

Assuming Torres returns to full strength in the months to come, don't be surprised if he's mentioned in trade talks.

Kenley Jansen

Jansen passed Lee Smith for third on the all-time saves list earlier this season, but that's been about his only highlight for the Tigers this season. Detroit signed the veteran closer to cement that role in a bullpen that values flexibility. His 5.40 ERA doesn't suggest he's done that so far in 2026, but there's always a market for relief pitching at the deadline, and Jansen's been traded a few times over as a result.

Kenley's also been nursing a groin injury for much of this early season, which could help explain his poor numbers so far in 2026. Whether he rebounds or not, the Tigers would be hard-pressed not to consider moving him if they find themselves in an uncomfortable position in the standings come late July. The relief market can net significant prospect capital, even for expiring assets like Jansen.

Tarik Skubal

And here's the big one. Whether Skubal returns in early July or a little bit closer to the MLB trade deadline, he will be the biggest name discussed in August. Skubal is one of the best starting pitchers on the planet, winner of back-to-back AL Cy Young awards. For the right team, he is worth whatever the Tigers ask. Rumor has it they will want a Juan Soto-like return, which may be a bit unrealistic given his $400 million asking price this coming winter and a looming lockout. You can't blame Scott Harris for trying, though.

The Tigers know they have little chance at re-signing their ace. It's why they went to arbitration war with him this offseason, and lost handily. Skubal is a Scott Boras client which means he has one goal, and that's to maximize his value in free agency.

Whether it's the Los Angeles Dodgers or another team hoping to get a head start on Skubal negotiations, the Tigers will get calls on Skubal around the deadline if he's healthy. That's a major if right now. But if Detroit looks up in early August and they're well out of the AL Central and Wild Card races — and that's their current pace these days — trading Skubal for what they can get is their best route forward.

More MLB news and analysis:

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow