The Detroit Tigers made a small trade earlier this week, acquiring Chris Paddack from the Minnesota Twins. However, Detroit is still seeking upgrades ahead of Thursday's MLB Trade Deadline. On Wednesday night, the Tigers addressed a need in the bullpen through a trade involving Atlanta Braves veteran Rafael Montero.
Montero is going to the Tigers in a trade, Detroit announced on social media. In return, Atlanta received one minor league player. Infielder Jim Jarvis is on his way to the Braves organization as part of this deal. This marks the third team Montero has played for. The 34-year-old played for the Houston Astros before joining the Braves this season.
The Tigers are one of the best teams in baseball, and are finding their groove again. After a brutal 1-12 slump, Detroit has rattled off four straight wins. They swept the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday. And they have scored at least five runs in each of the last four games.
Tigers have sought bullpen upgrades before MLB Trade Deadline
Detroit has found a lot of success to this point in the season, post-All-Star break slump notwithstanding. However, there has been a clear need that has emerged over the last few months. The Tigers have a bullpen that could use some work.
Detroit's bullpen isn't terrible or anything of the sort. But there are some major red flags that could spell disaster come October. The Tigers' bullpen does not strike out a ton of hitters. They rank 18th for strikeouts as a unit. Moreover, they are prone to the home run ball, giving up the sixth most homers in MLB.
Montero certainly won't address these issues on his own. However, he could be a reclamation project for this team. He owns an expected ERA of 3.26 and an expected opposing batting average of .219. This suggests there may be something he can offer in the right environment.
The Tigers have a chance to win the World Series in 2025. And they are likely to add a couple more pieces to this team before the MLB Trade Deadline. Let's see what Detroit has up its sleeve before 6 PM Thursday evening.
