The Detroit Tigers enter the MLB All-Star break with the best record in baseball at 59-38 and with a team-record six players taking part in this week’s festivities in Atlanta, there’s a good chance their success will continue in the second half of the season.
With Fangraphs projecting a 99.1% chance to make the playoffs, the next of business will be how to add to the team ahead of the July 31 trade deadline. The Tigers have been rumored to be interested in a right-handed bat or even some help in the starting rotation but the latest rumor has them pursuing some bullpen help and pillaging an American League Central Division rival to make it happen.
Tigers Reportedly Interested in Pair of Twins Relievers Ahead of MLB Trade Deadline
According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, the Tigers are interested in Minnesota Twins relievers Griffin Jax and Jhoan Duran ahead of the MLB trade deadline. Detroit was one of several teams mentioned for the duo's services and the list includes the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds.
Detroit’s relievers rank 23rd in MLB with a 4.13 ERA this season but also rank 21st with 314 strikeouts over 343.1 innings. While the bullpen has been serviceable, finding relievers that can slam the door and miss bats should be a priority and both Jax and Duran fit the bill.
According to Baseball Savant, Jax ranks in the 99th percentile with a whiff rate of 40.4% and in the 98th percentile with a 37.9% strikeout rate. The 30-year-old has also been one of the best relievers in baseball in these metrics for the past two seasons, ranking in the 99th percentile with a 37.8% whiff rate and the 97th percentile with a 34.4% strikeout rate in 2024.
Duran has a similar resume. Armed with the league's top fastball at 100.3 mph, Duran has logged a 31.9% whiff rate and a 27.1% strikeout rate this season. Hitters also have difficulty squaring him up, posting a 2.7% barrel rate (98th percentile) and the highest ground ball rate in the majors at 69.9%.
With both relievers under team control through the 2027 season, they would be a long-term solution. The Twins may also be ready to sell with an uncertain ownership situation limiting their spending and the possibility of All-Star starting pitcher Joe Ryan landing a contract extension as soon as next winter.
But before Tigers fans can dream about weakening their divisional rival, there are some obstacles. The first is a potential divisional tax on Jax and Duran, as the Twins haven’t made a trade within their division since they acquired outfielder Michael A. Taylor from the Kansas City Royals in January of 2023. The Twins also contacted the Chicago White Sox about reliever Michael Kopech last year, but declined when Chicago asked for top prospect Luke Keaschall in return.
In addition to not wanting to face Jax and Duran the past two seasons, the Twins could still make a second-half push coming out of the All-Star break. While Minnesota is 11.5 games behind the Tigers in the American League Central, it sits four games behind the Seattle Mariners for the final wild card spot in the AL and has favorable series with the Colorado Rockies (22-74) and Washington Nationals (38-58) before the deadline.
If the Twins play well out of the break and hold their own against the Dodgers (58-39) and Boston Red Sox (53-45), they could wind up being buyers with the deadline approaching. Even if they do sell, they could be more willing to deal to a National League club unless the Tigers overpay to acquire either pitcher.
On paper, Jax and Duran would be excellent additions to the Tigers bullpen. But they won’t know if they are truly available until the deadline draws closer.