Buy or sell?
It’s a litmus test that could be looming for the Tigers.
First things first. The Tigers must play well enough to be in contention at the trade deadline, which is seven weeks away. And contention must be defined. It seems being within three games of a playoff spot would be a reasonable definition. It's where the Tigers' currently stand.
At this stage, the centerpiece for this discussion is starting pitcher Jack Flaherty. Once one of the better pitchers in the National League with the Cardinals, Flaherty faded for a couple seasons. Just 28, the Tigers signed him to a one-year, $14 million contract.
Flaherty has not only reverted to form, he’s been better. Assuming he continues producing at such a high level, should the Tigers trade Flaherty for a proverbial “boatload” of prospects?
Or should he be retained, even though eligible for free agency after the season, considering the Tigers’ biggest strength by far is Flaherty joined with Tarik Skubal and Reese Olson at the top of the rotation?
Either way the Tigers go would send a definite message.
Trading Flaherty would scream, no matter how the Tigers spin it, “Rebuild!!!” The Tigers have had just one winning season since last reaching the postseason in 2014. It was way back in 2016.
Nobody wants to hear it. Only the most pessimistic of fans and pundits buy it. Winning, and now, should be the Tigers’ most important goal. Losing breeds losing. Winning breeds winning. That doesn’t mean superficial and symbolic spending. It means entering each game and each campaign playing to reach the postseason.
Everything about the baseball operations of an MLB franchise should be geared toward winning at the big-league level. The Tigers have a plethora of excellent prospects, led by Jackson Jobe, Max Clark, Jace Jung and Kevin McGonigle. There is a possibility they will be solid MLB players.
But this town is justifiably tired of hearing about prospects being the face of the franchise, especially considering the struggles of Spencer Torkelson, Casey Mize and Matt Manning. There is nothing guaranteed about young players regardless of the sport, with extremely rare exceptions, but it's considerably more so in baseball.
Even the organizations that rely on analytics above all else are not constantly playing for the future. They expect to win now. It was that way in Oakland and Tampa Bay for years. It's obviously currently the case in Cleveland and Milwaukee. The Tigers generate enough revenue that they don't have to play that version of financial small-ball, which does ultimately come into play in regard to winning it all.
The current angst about the Tigers lack of payroll is laughably misguided. The Tigers have an equal or better record than 14 teams with higher payrolls. They just won four of seven against two of them, Texas and Boston, and on the road.
But the Tigers shouldn't constantly recycle quality MLB players for prospects. As a rent-a-pitcher, Flaherty isn't necessarily going to bring that big of a haul. There is no certainty, if the Tigers are in contention this season, that they will be next season.
The idea that getting into the playoffs as a wild card means a short run is not true. Arizona was an 84-win wild card team in 2023, Philadelphia an 87-win wild card club in 2022. Both advanced to the World Series. Texas won it as a wild card team in '23. Eight teams have won the World Series as wild card teams in 30 seasons, 27 percent.
If the Tigers have Skubal, Olson and Flaherty at the top of the rotation, they could be a tough out.S o if the Tigers are in position to make the playoffs, and trade a top-of-the-rotation starter, it would be a wasted opportunity.
And profoundly disappointing.