A Guardians-Tigers trade with Detroit securing the AL Central for Cleveland

Baseball Reference has a pretty good idea on how the AL Central is going to shape up. The Cleveland Guardians have a 99 percent chance to make the postseason and an 92.9 percent chance to win the AL Central outright. They also give the Detroit Tigers just a 11.2 percent chance to make the postseason, signaling they may need to wave the white flag.

If the Tigers do end up giving up on the season, which we all expect them to, Jack Flaherty will certainly be dealt before the trade deadline. Flaherty is on an expiring deal and in the midst of an incredible season on the bump.

Zachary Rymer of Bleacher Report recently made the connection of Flaherty to the Guardians when he listed the righty as the player that Cleveland should go get.

A Guardians-Tigers trade to give Cleveland the starter they desperately need

Jack Flaherty is having a tremendous 2024 season, where he's pitched to the tune of a 2.92 ERA over 83.1 dominant innings. He's striking out nearly 12 hitters per nine innings and holds a WHIP under 1.00. His dominance should continue and the Guardians need that in their rotation.

The $14 million price tag attached to Flaherty's contract would likely stop the Tigers from receiving a top prospect out of the Guardians system, but this deal still moves multiple top 15 prospects that have pretty good potential and high floors.

Cantillo is the Guardians tenth ranked prospect and has shown some solid potential as a left-handed pitcher. He's struggled with walks this season, but his arsenal of pitches has shown the ability to compete at a high level in the past. He's been dominant in his professional career and should crack a big league rotation this year.

Angel Genao is the Guardians eleventh ranked prospect. He doesn't provide quite the high ceiling that Cantillo does, but Genao has a hit tool that's hard to find anywhere else. He's slashing .327/.370/.514 on the season. His bat to ball skills are truly a spectacle at his level of the minor leagues.

Adding Flaherty would be a huge addition for the first place Guardians. They're surprising everybody in the baseball world with the success that they're having, but they could turn their season up another notch completely if they find a way to make this addition.