The Detroit Tigers have officially moved on from several players, the most notable of which was back-to-back American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal, who was dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday evening.
The Tigers also traded away popular veteran catcher Jake Rogers to the Baltimore Orioles, who soon traded him again to the Boston Red Sox. And finally, the Tigers traded pitcher Casey Mize to the San Diego Padres shortly before Monday’s 6:00 p.m. Deadline concluded.
And now, Tigers President of Baseball Operations Scott Harris is explaining the logic behind the moves that were made, along with pushing back on the notion that there wasn’t a “bidding war” for Skubal.
Detroit Tigers POBO Scott Harris Breaks Down MLB Trade Deadline
Harris met with media members shortly after the conclusion of the MLB Trade Deadline, and he said that it truly pained him to have to sell off players.
“I hate selling,” Harris said on Monday evening. “I thought it would be irresponsible not to do it.”
But as he would explain, Harris operates with an eye on the present as well as the future.
“I try to run this organization with one eye firmly planted on the present, and one eye fixed on the future,” he said. “This deadline was a very difficult decision point.”
Harris said that he did have discussions with Skubal’s high-profile agent Scott Boras on an extension, but that it appeared that he was heading to free agency.
“We explored an extension once,” Harris said of his interactions with Scott Boras. “The response I received from Tarik’s agent was … very clear from the exchange what the intentions were, and he deserved it. I expect him to be a free agent.”
He then pushed back on the notion that the Tigers didn’t do everything possible to maximize their return for Skubal, calling any idea to the contrary “garbage” and saying there was “audible pain” from other clubs as they padded their offers.
However, Harris also had a message for anyone who thinks that the Tigers, who remain 2.5 games back of a Wild Card berth in the American League standings, are simply punting on the season.
“This team is talented enough to flip the script just like the 2024 team,” he said. “We’re definitely not raising the white flag.”
The Tigers Made Several Additions To The Organization Via Their Trades
As part of the Skubal deal, the Tigers received prospects Zyhir Hope, River Ryan, and Brady Smith from the Dodgers.
They also acquired right-hander Zane Barnhart from the Orioles in exchange for Rogers, while also picking up first-round pick Kash Mayfield, San Diego’s No. 2 prospect, as well as left-handed pitcher Jackson Wolf in return for Mize.
At 54-58, the Tigers have managed to battle back into the postseason picture after what was a truly horrible month of May, during which Skubal was unavailable after undergoing a non-invasive surgical procedure.
They’ll attempt to keep their current momentum going as they open up a three-game set against the Seattle Mariners starting on Tuesday evening in the Pacific Northwest.
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