The MLB trade deadline was an exciting one for the Detroit Tigers. While they didn’t make the big move, they still acquired some pieces that can help them make a push into October. Chris Paddack and Charlie Morton will look to fill out the back of the rotation after being acquired this week, and the Tigers had enough leftover to bring Kyle Finnegan and Rafael Montero to the bullpen.
Although the new pieces should set Detroit up for a thrilling conclusion to the regular season and into the postseason, the end of the trade deadline also brings some relief. But for one Tiger that survived the deadline, that feeling of security may not last long, as he could be playing somewhere else in 2026.
Javier Báez’s Days With Tigers Are Numbered
Javier Báez is one of the best stories for the Tigers this season. Dealing with a hip injury last year, Báez returned to a scorching hot start and started in center field for the American League in last month’s All-Star Game. After hitting .184/.221/.294 with six homers, 37 RBI, and eight stolen bases in nine attempts one year ago, Báez is hitting .263/.295/.417 with 10 homers, 41 RBI, and four stolen bases in five attempts entering Friday’s series opener with the Philadelphia Phillies.
With two years remaining on his contract, it seems like Báez would be safe until he’s set to be a free agent in 2028. But even with a large financial commitment, the Tigers will have a good reason to accelerate his departure this upcoming winter.
The first is that Báez’s performance has dropped off as the season has progressed. While his OPS jumped from .745 in April to .765 in May to .840 in June, it cratered to .426 in July. His Baseball Savant page also screams regression as Báez has a league-high 43.5% chase rate, a league-low 2.9% walk rate, and an average exit velocity of 88.5 mph.
Báez has done his best to cover up for this by logging a plus-2 in defensive runs saved and a plus-1 in Baseball Savant’s fielding run value metric in center field this season. But his spot is getting awfully crowded, considering what’s coming in the organization.
Because the Tigers didn’t make a blockbuster deal, they kept a lot of the talent that has made up one of the top farm systems in baseball. MLB Pipeline’s No. 6 overall prospect Kevin McGonigle’s future is probably at second base, but his bat could accelerate his debut after hitting .344/.435/.586 with eight homers and 53 RBI in 56 games this season. The Tigers also still like Trey Sweeney despite a rough 2025 and could use him as a cheaper stopgap for Bryce Rainer (No. 34 overall prospect) as he makes his way through the organization.
There’s also a financial aspect to this. The Tigers are going to make a full-court press to sign Tarik Skubal to an extension. While it’s likely he’ll push for free agency to maximize his value, he may also decide to sign early with a potential lockout coming after the 2026 season.
Detroit hasn’t shown a reluctance to spend money when they need it – as evidenced by Báez’s $140 million contract signed in 2022 – but they could move Báez to clear up some money to lock in Skubal or another cornerstone such as first baseman Spencer Torkelson.
It spells an early exit from Detroit unless Báez’s July was a mirage and could leave him sweating it out even after surviving the trade deadline.