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The Detroit Tigers are buying at the MLB Trade Deadline for the first time in over a decade. Detroit has yet to make a splash move despite its nine game lead atop the AL Central. However, they have made a few smaller moves. The Tigers traded for Chris Paddack in a deal with their division rival Minnesota Twins. And on Wednesday, the Tigers traded for Rafael Montero in a deal with the Atlanta Braves.
However, Detroit is going to need more than these small moves if they want to win the World Series. For as good as this team has been, there are obvious holes in their game. And their recent 1-12 slump has shown they can regress pretty hard for extended stretches. They need to fortify the roster so they can stand up to teams like the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays.
The 2025 MLB Trade Deadline is less than 24 hours away. Time is running out for the Tigers to push their chips to the center of the table. With this in mind, here is one last-minute trade the Tigers must complete before Thursday evening's deadline.
Tigers must swing trade for Rays' Pete Fairbanks
The Tigers have a few different areas of need they can address. For instance, they could certainly use a right-handed hitter in their lineup. Moreover, another starter wouldn't be a bad idea. Paddack looked good in his debut. But Casey Mize is dealing with knee issues that could flare up again as the season goes along.
However, the biggest need for this team is the back end of the bullpen. Detroit has received good performances from Will Vest in the closer's role. He has a Pitching Run Value of nine, according to Baseball Savant, while pitching to a 2.53 ERA. Beyond his efforts, though, it's been quite inconsistent.
Tommy Kahnle looked unhittable for portions of the early months of the season. He has since hit a rough path, though he is starting to rebound. Chase Lee was a surprise when he received a promotion to the majors. However, opposing hitters are starting to figure out the sidearm hurler. Furthermore, Tyler Holton struggled in the first few months of the season, as well.
Detroit needs to add another presence to the back end of its bullpen. And the best option for them to target is Tampa Bay Rays closer Pete Fairbanks. The 31-year-old has a $7 million club option for the 2026 season, making him more than a rental.
Fairbanks has pitched well in 2025. Across 40.1 innings, he has a 2.90 ERA with 34 strikeouts and 15 walks. The veteran closer has a Pitching Run Value of six, which would be the best mark for any Tigers reliever not named Vest.
Fairbanks won't solve Detroit's issues with strikeouts, at least on paper. However, he has a blazing fastball that can reach 97 miles per hour. He combines this with a slider that hitters are hitting just .132 against this season.
When hitters do make contact with Fairbanks' offerings, they don't do too much with it. His pitches have a Barrel Percentage of just 2.6%, the lowest mark he's recorded since 2022. He generates a fair number of ground balls as a result.
The Tigers need a closer who can take the ball in big moments down the stretch. Trading for Fairbanks certainly won't be cheap. However, the Tigers have the prospects to do so, and they are in a position to capitalize on a potential World Series window this summer.
