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The Detroit Tigers are on an incredibly impressive run right now that goes back all the way to last season. The Tigers were a mediocre team for most of 2024, and they didn't show any signs of having a playoff run in them. Then, out of nowhere, Detroit turned on the jets down the stretch and earned a playoff spot. The Tigers took down the Houston Astros in the Wild Card round before losing to the Cleveland Guardians in the ALDS. That late surge has spilled over to the 2025 season as well as the Tigers are currently 49-30 to start the year, which is the best record in baseball.
It feels like the MLB season just started, but the All-Star break and the trade deadline are right around the corner. The All-Star break begins on July 13th for the Tigers, and the team is hoping to go into that with a big lead in the division. Detroit is currently 8.5 games up on the second-place Guardians.
The MLB trade deadline will come shortly after the All-Star break ends as it will be on July 31st. The Tigers are expected to be buyers at the deadline as they hope to gear up for a deep postseason run. While they have the best record in baseball, the roster could use some additions as some injuries have left Detroit in a bit of a sticky spot.
Detroit did lose one of its starting pitchers recently as Jackson Jobe is out for the season after needing Tommy John surgery. Reese Olson has also been out for a while, but he should be back relatively soon. Either way, the Tigers could use another arm as outside of Tarik Skubal, starting pitching has struggled a little bit recently.
Another position to watch for the Tigers is third base. Detroit doesn't have a true third baseman right now, so adding a veteran with a good bat before the trade deadline would be huge.
The Tigers want to add to this team at the deadline, and that means that some players are going to have to go. Detroit fans might not be happy seeing some guys go as there are a lot of fan-favorites on this team, but baseball is a business. Here are a couple of players who are loved in the Motor City but could still be traded this season:
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Javier Baez
Javier Baez is having an incredible bounceback year, and Tigers fans are loving it. However, this could be the perfect time for the Tigers to trade him. Before this season, his huge contract was a disaster for Detroit as Baez had been a shell of his former self. He is finally starting to look like the player that he once was, but is that going to last? Baez hit .184 for the Tigers last year in 80 games, and he finished with six home runs and 37 RBIs. So far this season in 66 games, he has nine homers and 36 RBIs, and he is hitting .290 with an .801 OPS. He is looking good, and his trade value is going up.
Kerry Carpenter
Kerry Carpenter is another fan-favorite that might be a good trade option right now. Carpenter looked like a budding superstar during the past couple of seasons, and after a strong start to this season, he is starting to struggle. Carpenter is currently hitting .246 with a .729 OPS, and he has 13 home runs and 27 RBIs. However, June has been ugly. Carpenter is hitting .167 in June with a .585 OPS, and he has three homers and five RBIs. He is trending in the wrong direction as he has struggled more and more as the month has gone off. Slumps happen, but if this is more than that, the Tigers have a chance to trade Carpenter before he loses his value.
Javier Baez and Kerry Carpenter are two players that the Tigers love, and they want them to be part of this team, but again, baseball is a business. If a trade ends up being the best thing for the team, then Detroit might have to make a difficult decision.
