The Detroit Tigers are 20 games over .500, but it isn’t all sunshine and rainbows in Michigan this week. The team suffered a major blow when it was announced that top prospect and starting pitcher Jackson Jobe would miss the entire 2025 season, requiring Tommy John surgery. This comes almost a month after promising young pitcher Reese Olson went on the IL with finger inflammation. GM Jeff Greenberg had this to say on MLB Network Radio, “cautiously optimistic … we’ll get him back sooner rather than later”, but there is still uncertainty on the situation. The Tigers do have Alex Cobb scheduled to make his debut in late June, but it is unknown what the 37-year-old has left in the tank.
The Tigers are playing championship-level baseball right now, and if that is to continue through October, they will have to address the now razor-thin depth in the starting rotation. A trade is almost inevitable with the World Series window wide open for this young team, one that owns one of the deepest farm systems in the league. The first question the Tigers must ask is whether they want a rental arm or to take a chance on a bigger name with some team control. Both present their own risks and benefits, especially for a young team performing ahead of schedule with an enticing group of prospects. These trade options are divided into those two different approaches. First up, rentals.
Looking around the league, several struggling teams could offload an impending free agent to refocus on the 2026 season. Three teams fit this bill: the Baltimore Orioles, the Atlanta Braves, and the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Orioles are sitting in last place in the AL East with a young core, and the Braves, who have lost a lot of ground to the Mets and Phillies, are fourth in the NL East. The Diamondbacks are in a loaded NL West and they will need a lot to go their way to make the playoffs. Each team has an established starter set to hit free agency in 2026, and all three teams are not so far away from returning to playoff form.
Zach Eflin (6-2, 4.08 ERA) of the Orioles is the type of pitcher that would fit perfectly with the mentality and mantra of the Detroit coaching staff. Eflin ranks in the 99th percentile in walk rate and the 81st percentile in chase percentage. He is a pitch-to-contact starter with great control. For a team that preaches discipline and is in the top half of the league defensively, Eflin would slide in seamlessly. Eflin was a key component to the Phillies’ playoff run in 2022, where they nearly won the World Series. That playoff experience mixed with his fit on the Tigers’ roster makes him a perfect trade candidate.
Chris Sale (4-4, 2.79 ERA) has been an ace by every definition for Atlanta over the past two seasons. He is under contract through 2026, but that second year is a club option. Sale is 36, and the Braves’ championship odds have dwindled recently, with the Mets and Phillies being solidified as baseball powerhouses. The Braves moving on from Sale would allow them to add a legitimate prospect to retool around a still-promising roster. Sale remains one of the elite aces of the game today despite his age. He ranks in the 80th percentile or higher in pitching run value, xERA, xBA, chase percentage, whiff percentage, strikeout percentage, hard hit percentage, and average exit velocity. The Tigers adding Sale next to reigning Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal would give them one of the scariest 1-2 punches in baseball.
Zac Gallen (4-8, 5.15 ERA) has struggled this year and is going to be a free agent in 2026. The Diamondbacks’ starting rotation is expensive and isn’t getting cheaper anytime soon. Eduardo Rodriguez is signed through 2028 on an $80 million contract. Corbin Burnes is signed through 2030 on a $210 million contract. Brandon Pfaadt is signed through 2032 on a $45 million contract. It would be safe to say the Diamondbacks are in a financial pitching jam. This is a risk for the Tigers, but Gallen would be a cheap target, at least for someone who was a Cy Young candidate only two seasons ago. He ranks in the bottom 50th percentile this year, but for a back-end starter and a somewhat low asking price, it might be worth a shot. If Gallen returned to the form from the last four seasons, the Tigers would have added a Cy Young caliber pitcher down the stretch.
These three options are the more logical (and likely) route for an organization that is not easily willing to part ways with its top prospects. However, with such a deep farm system, they have the luxury of not just adding an elite arm to the rotation, but one that could be a part of the sustained success Scott Harris is currently building.
Mackenzie Gore (3-5, 2.88 ERA) is continuing to develop into the ace the Washington Nationals were hoping for. He is in the top percentile for pitching value and strikeout rates. The Nationals are also playing better than expected with their extremely young team (second youngest in baseball). While they are unlikely to make the playoffs in 2025, there is legitimate reason for them to believe that could change next year. Gore also has three years of team control through arbitration. Acquiring Gore would not be easy; the Tigers would need to come in with a significant offer. Similar to the situation with Sale, Skubal and Gore would be a dominant 1-2 left-handed punch, but one that could last several seasons. The asking price may be astronomical, but to establish a rotation with those two for several years might be worth it for the Tigers to make a splash.
Tyler Mahle (6-3, 2.34 ERA) is not a household name, but he has quietly been one of the most valuable pitchers in the entire league this year for the struggling Texas Rangers. He ranks in the 96th percentile for pitching run value. The 30-year-old has been consistent over his career, and Mahle would give the Tigers a reliable veteran. Like the Gallen proposal, this comes with risk since Mahle’s biggest downside is his injury history. From 2023-2024, Mahle only pitched 37 innings after undergoing Tommy John surgery. This option comes down to how the Rangers view Mahle. He could be the traditional sell-high player at the deadline this season, but Harris has shown he is not the kind of executive to play ball in those scenarios.
Any of these options would not only bolster the depth of the injured Tigers’ rotation but could make a top team in the league even scarier.
While Jobe is still an exciting young player with enormous upside, he is now on a long path to recovery. Championship windows in sports are never guaranteed or even particularly long. The Tigers have the best pitcher in baseball, but they are back to a situation where spot starters and bullpen games are going to become a more regular occurrence. There is a lot of season to be played, but it cannot be understated how important home-field advantage is for playoff baseball. The Tigers have the second-largest attendance jump from last season; it’s clear the fan base is bought in. The front office understands the momentum all of Detroit is experiencing right now.
All the above trade candidates are more proven than Jobe or the plethora of minor league arms. Bringing any of these proposed players alongside Cy Young favorite Skubal, dark horse Cy Young candidate Casey Mize, Jack Flaherty, and a soon-to-be healthy Olson would put the Tigers’ starting rotation back in the upper echelon of the league. It will ultimately come down to two factors: how aggressive the front office wants to be and how strongly the front office believes they could win a World Series in 2025. The Tigers are one of the best stories and teams this season, and in baseball, strike the iron while it’s hot.
All stats researched and found using baseballsavant.mlb.com – stats reflective as of 06/13/2025
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