The Detroit Tigers own the best record in all of baseball to this point of the 2025 season. They are likely going to make the postseason this season so expect this team to add at the trade deadline. One thing they currently need is starting pitching. The Tigers lost rookie Jackson Jobe for the season. He is undergoing Tommy John surgery. The current rotation includes Tarik Skubal, Casey Mize, Sawyer Gipson-Long, and Jack Flaherty. They also have an opener with a bulk guy in the five spot.
The starting rotation this season is 30-19 with a 3.37 ERA, a 3.65 FIP, a 1.17 WHIP, a 9.2 K/9, and a 2.9 BB/9. The rotation could change with one solid starting pitcher which could be addressed at the trade deadline. There are a few names available that could make the Tigers rotation better. It may cost some decent prospects. For a World Series in 2025, which would you prefer?
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Sandy Alcantara
Alcantara this season has had a rough return after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He is 3-8 in 14 starts with a 6.88 ERA, a 4.87 FIP, a 1.47 WHIP, and 55 strikeouts in 68 innings. He is a hot name at the trade deadline so there will be multiple players interested. In 160 games 152 of those coming as starts going 44-63. Alcantara posts a 3.57 ERA, a 3.85 FIP, a 1.47 WHIP, and 844 strikeouts in 968.2 innings. He won the Cy Young in 2022, and finished tenth in MVP voting. Alcantara is a two-time All-Star. In 2020 he made his postseason debut making two starts going 1-1 with a 4.26 ERA, a 4.77 FIP, a 1.18 WHIP, and 12 strikeouts in 12.2 innings.
Zac Gallen
Gallen this season is 5-8 with a 5.60 ERA, a 5.02 FIP, a 1.40 WHIP, and 86 strikeouts in 91.2 innings. In 159 starts in his career, he is 58-45 with a 3.52 ERA, a 3.61 FIP, a 1.16 WHIP, and 971 strikeouts in 907 innings. He finished ninth in Cy Young voting in 2020, fifth in 2022, and third in 2023. He was an All-Star in 2023 and also finished 23rd in MVP voting. Gallen brings deep postseason pitching experience as well in the Diamondbacks World Series run in 2023 he made six starts. Gallen went 2-3 with a 4.54 ERA, a 5.48 FIP, a 1.34 WHIP, and 24 strikeouts in 33.2 innings.
Merrill Kelly
Kelly in 15 starts this season is 6-3 with a 3.41 ERA, a 3.23 FIP, a 1.02 WHIP, and 86 strikeouts in 87 innings. In 155 career starts he is 59-47 with a 3.78 ERA, a 3.96 FIP, a 1.20 WHIP, and 830 strikeouts in 911.1 innings. In the Diamondbacks 2023 playoff run, he went 3-1 in four starts with a 2.25 ERA, a 4.09 FIP, a 0.83 WHIP, and 28 strikeouts in 24 innings.
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Wrap Up
None of these names will likely require any of the top five Tigers prospects. However, starting the conversation with someone like Hao-Yu Lee could be intriguing. He is blocked based on where he plays. Which pitcher should the Tigers acquire besides third base help at the trade deadline? This pitcher could be a strong number two or three in the rotation. They are aiming for another deep playoff run.
