The typical reality of the MLB trade deadline is that teams with desirable players are often too good to trade them, while teams looking to sell rarely have many good players to trade.
The Detroit Tigers find themselves in a strange position, however – with a roster filled with attractive trade targets and (possibly) a bad enough record to start dealing them.
ESPN’s MLB insiders Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan released their re-ranking of top-100 MLB trade deadline targets on Tuesday, July 21, with the Tigers well represented on the list. Unsurprisingly, Tigers lefty ace Tarik Skubal tops the ranking, with ESPN listing Skubal’s chance of being traded at 60% despite rival MLB executive saying the Tigers intend to keep Skubal.
Having won three of their last four games, the Tigers sit at 47-53, 6½ games behind in the American League Central standings and 3½ games behind in the AL wild card chase. As of Tuesday afternoon, Detroit has 12 games before the Aug. 3 trade deadline to decide whether it will buy or sell, with Skubal – likely to elect free agency in the offseason – the biggest trade piece the Tigers could send away.
“Considering the hole they’ve dug themselves, they are far more likely than not to move Skubal,” the article reads. “He is the dream deadline candidate, the sort of ace who can carry a team in the postseason. Whoever lands Skubal will pay an enormous price. Happily.”
Skubal has said he wants the Tigers to add at the deadline, and if the Tigers keep surging towards .500, that possibility could be on the table. But if the Tigers slip in the standings over the next two weeks, a sell-off may be inevitable.
But Skubal isn’t the only highly-valued trade candidate, according to ESPN.
Casey Mize a top pitching trade target
Right-handed starter Casey Mize lands at No. 16 on the top 100, and the former No. 1 pick has made his case throughout the season. By many measures, Mize has pitched even better than Skubal this season, leading all Tigers pitchers with a 2.62 FIP and 2.8 FanGraphs WAR. And though he has spent two separate stints on the injured list with groin issues, his production and relatively cheap contract could make him an attractive option for a contending team – especially compared to Skubal’s $32 million full-season salary for 2026.
“Mize isn’t popping any models with his stuff, but he’s striking out more than a batter an inning, he’s allowing less than a baserunner an inning, and his contract will be barely $2 million for the remainder of the season,” ESPN writes. “His fastball velocity is the lowest of his big league career, but he has four above-average pitches [fastball, cutter, sweeper, splitter] that are all performing [via runs value] as at least average pitches.”
Gleyber Torres, Jack Flaherty could be on the trading block
The return of Tigers second baseman Gleyber Torres could significantly improve the top of the Tigers’ lineup, as Torres proved by going 2-for-3 with two RBIs from the No. 2 spot in the lineup on Monday. But with Torres on an expiring one-year deal, his return could also give the Tigers another highly-valued trade candidate, with Torres listed as the No. 43 trade target per ESPN.
In a year with many Tigers hitters underperforming expectations, Torres has remained steady, slashing .288/.405/.400 over 195 plate appearances while battling two stints on the IL with oblique injuries. The veteran also brings solid playoff experience for any potential contender, with Torres sporting a .779 career playoff OPS in seven different postseason trips (six with the New York Yankees and one with the Tigers).
Another Tigers veteran with significant postseason experience is righty Jack Flaherty, who sits at No. 46 on ESPN’s list. The 10-year veteran started slowly in 2026 but has shown quality as of late, putting up a 2.18 ERA over 20⅔ innings over his last four starts.
Flaherty also knows what it’s like to be traded by the Tigers, with Detroit sending him to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the 2024 trade deadline for prospects Trey Sweeney and Thayron Liranzo. Flaherty then pitched significant innings for the World Series-winning Dodgers in 2024 before signing a two-year deal to return to the Tigers in 2025.
Kenley Jansen, Drew Anderson also make ESPN top-100
Skubal, Mize, Torres and Flaherty are all on expiring contracts and the most likely to be traded should the Tigers decide to sell at the deadline. However, ESPN puts two more Tigers players in its top-100 list: closer Kenley Jansen (No. 81) and reliever Drew Anderson (No. 95).
Jansen is on an expiring contract after signing a one-year, $11 million deal to join Detroit in the offseason, but his production so far in 2026 has not been that of a top trade target. Jansen’s 4.21 ERA is the worst of his career, and his 5.25 FIP is the worst of any Tigers pitcher with at least 10 innings pitched this season. Jansen has appeared in over 59 postseason games and has made 20 postseason saves (19 with the Dodgers), but his relatively expensive contract might be difficult for the Tigers to move considering his 2026 performance.
Anderson could make for interesting trade discussion. The 32-year-old righty pitched in Asia from 2022-25 before joining the Tigers on a one-year deal for 2026 (with a $10 million club option for 2027), effectively putting him on an expiring deal. And while Anderson has shown versatility out of the bullpen and impressive Statcast measurements, his 4.24 ERA is third-worst among all Tigers relievers with at least 10 innings pitched this season. The Tigers may be able to find a taker with many teams likely looking for bullpen help, but it might be a stretch to call Anderson a top trade target.
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You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers littered with top MLB trade deadline candidates
Reporting by Christian Romo, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Christian Romo, Detroit Free Press | USA TODAY Network
