3 Tigers who aren't as safe as they think with the 2025 trade deadline approaching

As we speed to the trade deadline, it is crystal clear what the Detroit Tigers' needs are. However, just because it is easy to see where the club needs improvement, that doesn't mean that they'll go about shoring up roster holes in the conventional way most contenders do.

In fact, top baseball man Scott Harris has gone on record stating the club will be "pragmatic" in its approach, leading fans and insiders alike to believe that maybe the team won't be pushing all of their chips to the center of the table.

Instead, what we could see is a more nuanced approach where Harris and company look to find ways to improve the club now in unorthodox ways, effectively balancing the present and future. To that end, some Tigers players might not be as safe as they think heading into the trade deadline.

These Tigers players shouldn't get too comfortable with July 31 trade deadline approaching

Reliever Tommy Kahnle

It might sound shocking that the Tigers, a club that definitely needs bullpen help, would be willing to trade a piece from their back-end unit away, but in the case of Tommy Kahnle, there might be some logic to moving the veteran righty at the deadline. After all, Kahnle has certainly plummeted down the bullpen trust tree after a couple of disastrous meltdowns leading into the All-Star break.

Detroit needs some strikeout firepower, which, now at his advanced age, Kahnle no longer provides. The reliever market is expected to be particularly hot, with some contenders needing to fill multiple spots in their bullpens. At the same time, the options could be limited as injuries like the one to Orioles' closer Felix Bautista and the news surrounding Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase force options off the table, while other clubs might be reticent to move on from controllable relief aces for less than a king's ransom.

That potential tension in the supply-and-demand relationship could make a veteran like Kahnle valuable, especially to two reliever-needy contenders in particular, the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Both clubs need arms, and both have fond memories of Kahnle pitching in their uniforms. Either club could be enticed to give Detroit something of value for him, while Harris makes moves elsewhere to shore up the relief corps.

Center Fielder Parker Meadows

Scott Harris is a patient man, and that patience has paid dividends in the cases of Casey Mize and Spencer Torkelson in 2025 after most were ready to write both former No. 1 overall picks off. One then might think that same patience would extend to Parker Meadows, the first pick of the second round of the 2018 draft.

However, Meadows' poor performance has been the driving factor behind center field being such a big need for the Tigers this season. While patience this year might be warranted, the future still doesn't look great for Meadows. At some point, Max Clark, No. 10 on MLB.com's Top 100 prospects, will be coming for his job. It won't be this year, but it will be soon. Meanwhile, Meadows has only regressed this season after failing to impress over parts of the previous two seasons.

With a top prospect pedigree and a boatload of team control, the 25-year-old Meadows could be used as a chip to flip in exchange for veteran help elsewhere, in lieu of dipping into Detroit's impressive prospect pipeline. While moving on from him may seem to make center field even weaker, the Tigers were able to figure it out during his lengthy IL stint to begin the season, so they can certainly figure out a way to make it work without him again.

Outfielder Wenceel Perez

Similar to Parker Meadows, Wenceel Perez has struggled to stay healthy and consistently make an impact for Detroit. The 25-year-old had the start of his season delayed by a back injury, which has been something of a recurring issue for the switch-hitter.

In his 47 games of action this season, the speedster has produced more power than he did in his 2024 debut, but still doesn't make enough contact or get on base enough to be a consistent offensive threat. The chronic back troubles could also put a damper on his ability to remain available, let alone productive, long-term.

However, there are a lot of tools to like, and he doesn't become arbitration eligible until 2027, meaning he'd have similar value to a prospect in a trade. Detroit could benefit by selling him now before the back issues and holes in his swing tank his value completely, while preserving much of their prospect depth — making the move a pragmatic option for Harris as he looks to reinforce the roster with veteran talent for the stretch run.