The 2025 MLB trade deadline will go into effect on July 31, giving the Detroit Tigers one week to upgrade their roster in preparation for the playoffs. Tigers fans certainly wouldn't mind if the front office made a deal or two to improve the club's World Series prospects, especially with A.J. Hinch's club having lost nine of its last 10 games ahead of Thursday's showdown with the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Tigers are one of baseball's best teams, but there's always room for improvement. Considering how championship contenders tend to add a veteran arm or two before the deadline, it wouldn't be shocking if Detroit wants to upgrade its bullpen, too.
Someone will have to be replaced if that's the case, meaning a certain Tigers reliever must step up to avoid losing his job to a newcomer.
Tigers RHP Tommy Kahnle Has 1 Week to Get Off Trade Deadline Chopping Block
It wasn't that long ago when Tommy Kahnle was pitching like one of the American League's best relievers. The former 2010 fifth-round pick by the New York Yankees was extremely reliable whenever the Tigers called his name between April and June, pitching to a 1.77 ERA while striking out 31 batters with eight saves (3 blown) in 34 games (35 2/3 innings).
Unfortunately, his performance has trended in the wrong direction since the calendar flipped to July, and failing to turn things around in the coming days could see Kahnle replaced in the Motor City.
In his first eight games (4 1/3 innings) in July, Kahnle owns a putrid 29.08 ERA (no, that isn't a typo) after allowing 14 earned runs on 13 hits along with six walks. Five of those matchups saw the Latham, NY native fail to pitch a full inning, with three ending without a single out recorded. It's hard to believe that he's the same reliever who was dominating out of the bullpen for the previous three months.
The fact that Kahnle is a free agent at the end of the season gives the Tigers one more reason to cut ties before the trade deadline. As great as he was earlier in the year, Kahnle's recent performances may have convinced Detroit not to re-sign him in the winter, meaning trading him before the deadline makes sense if they don't want to lose him for nothing in free agency.
In other words, Kahnle must use any opportunity in the next seven days to solidify his standing with the Tigers. If not, and he continues to fail, his time in the Motor City might be finished a lot sooner than fans, and even the veteran righty himself, expected.