One Objective Remaining for Detroit Tigers in 2024 MLB Season
The Detroit Tigers made their plans clear for the last two months of the 2024 MLB season ahead of the deadline as they looked to cash in on as many assets as possible.
It was a successful deadline from that perspective.
Four deals were made, all involving players on expiring contracts or with options for next year. Left-handed reliever Andrew Chafin could be retained by the Texas Rangers in 2025, but catcher Carson Kelly, outfielder/first baseman Mark Canha and starting pitcher Jack Flaherty will all be free agents.
Some analysts were disappointed about the return the Tigers received from the Los Angeles Dodgers for Flaherty, but the process was right. After signing a one-year deal last offseason, flipping him for prospects was the right move with a playoff appearance unlikely.
Playing out the remaining stretch of this year, what is there remaining for Detroit to do?
It will be a good chance for their younger players to get meaningful reps as the Tigers will look to climb out of their rebuild and vie for a playoff spot in 2025.
But, in the opinion of Bradford Doolittle of ESPN, there is one clear objective that remains; a Cy Young award run.
Detroit surprised a lot of people by holding onto Tarik Skubal through the deadline, but it was a good move for the franchise.
Aces like Skubal are what teams hope their prospects will eventually turn into. He can handle all situations and is an anchor for the staff. Doing whatever they can to help him win the Cy Young award is a clear-goal for the rest of the season.
“Tarik Skubal is probably the AL's Cy Young front-runner, though if Kansas City's Seth Lugo and Baltimore's Corbin Burnes perform well down the stretch, they might have the advantage of playing in higher-stakes games. That's out of Skubal's control, but if he can put up a string of gems from here on out, he could be Detroit's first Cy Young winner since Scherzer in 2013 and the fifth in franchise history. While it's debatable that winning the award would have a tangible benefit for the Tigers' quest to return to the playoffs in the future, perhaps it might cement Skubal's place as the franchise ace and spur serious talks about an extension,” Doolittle wrote.
Holding onto Skubal gives the impression that the Tigers are serious about becoming contenders sooner rather than later. As Doolittle noted, talks between the two sides about a long-term extension could get serious as Skubal is looking more and more like a franchise cornerstone.
In 22 starts this season, their ace has gone 12-4. His ERA of 2.57 is the best in the MLB. He also leads baseball with 162 strikeouts and an ERA+ of 166. He has been a workhorse for Detroit, pitching 136.1 innings, averaging 6+ innings per start.
He is everything a team is looking for at the top of the rotation.
A superstar in the making, Skubal has a great chance to add another accolade to his resume after earning his first All-Star game appearance this season.
Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.