Complete Tigers trade deadline grades after Scott Harris dismantled an era

President of baseball operations Scott Harris and the Detroit Tigers entered the days leading up to the MLB trade deadline with everyone screaming at him to do something. What, exactly, they wanted him to do varied some.

While both camps began with the same argument — that the Tigers needed a better bullpen and improved outfield to truly compete for the division title — the prescriptions varied: give up and trade everything not nailed down, or go out and add some bullpen help and see what this team could do in a so-so division and a so-so league.

The Tigers chose to sell ... starting pitching anyway. Harris moved Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize, the top two starters in the rotation, and added two starting pitchers who could join the rotation by the end of the season (though one of them was at best a throw-in), along with a possible mid-2027 outfielder. A bit further out were pitching prospects with 2028 and 2029 arrival dates.

Much was made of trading Skubal, as the Tigers received the 5th, 7th, and 17th-ranked players in the Dodgers' system in return. The deal was immediately panned by experts and fans alike as too little for Skubal.

They Tigers received the second-ranked player in the Padres' system for Mize and infielder Gage Workman.

All told, it could have been worse. Maybe?

All told, it could have been better, too. Not enough for Skubal. Holding onto the expiring contracts of Kenley Jansen and Gleyber Torres (not that either would be expected to draw much in return). But in for a penny, in for a pound.

On the whole, we have to give the Tigers a passing grade based on potential ceilings, but are left feeling expectations were a little bit higher than what they got in return, and if they were going to sell it felt like a job left half undone.

All in all, disappointed is the feeling that sums it up. Harris did nothing to quell his critics, and in fact deserves the seat to be a hotter today than it was a week prior.

Detroit Tigers' 2029 trade deadline grade: C-

Tarik Skubal to Dodgers. OF Zyhir Hope (2027 ETA), RHP River Ryan (2026 ETA), RHP Brady Smith (2028 ETA) to Tigers. Grade: D+

We didn't love the return for Skubal, which was in line with the feelings of most experts. Baseball Trade Values agreed, calling it a moderate underpay by the Dodgers. The Tigers lost about $6.2 million in value under the system's calculations. The Tigers being unable to pry out any Dodgers prospect ranked better than fifth is certainly a huge disappointment.

That said there's certainly a way this could turn out well. While Hope is the safest player to project here — an outfielder with power, improving contact, and some speed on the basepaths — whether we'll look back at the trade as a success largely hinges on River Ryan.

Prospect lovers love him. His stuff is great. FanGraph's Eric Longerhagen views him as a No. 2 or No. 3 starter. Due to a late change to becoming a starting pitcher and subsequent Tommy John Surgery, he's a bit old as a prospect at age 27. But age doesn't matter so much as outcome. If Ryan can stay healthy (he's currently nursing a hamstring injury but could conceivably join the Tigers' rotation by season's end) then the Tigers will get a fair amount of value out of the deal.

If, if, if. There are always a bunch of ifs . That's why this one is hard to grade. With a checkered past injury report, you have to judge his possible ceiling against the reality his past situation. He could be exciting. He could be repeatedly injured and never helpful at all.

Get excited over the potential if you want, but there's too many warning flags to view this deal as anything more than Hope, hope, and some other guy. The Tigers got something out of Skubal. But the fans get disappointment while the Dodgers get everything they ever want.

RHP Casey Mize and IF Gage Workman to Padres. LHP Kash Mayfield (2029 ETA) and LHP Jackson Wolf (2026) to Tigers. Grade: B-

Theorhetically Jackson Wolf could join the Tigers' rotation now if needed. He hasn't done a lot to make you feel it would be anything more than eating innings to get to the end of the year. But he *could*. He's a throw-in, not a name worth remembering for now. But he does have a great name.

Kash Mayfield is the third-best prospect of the trade deadline bunch with a FanGraphs' future value of 45. (Ryan's was 55 and Hope's 50, while Smith is 40). Heading into the season FanGraphs had Mayfield as peaking at No. 3 in a rotation and more likely being a solid No. 4. Again, he's not nothing for a two-month rental with some injury risk like Mize.

He has a 3.54 ERA in High-A with better than a strikeout per inning. But also, we're not exactly talking about the Tigers picking up a player who looks like a future All-Star here either. Best case he eats big league innings.

C Jake Rogers to Orioles. RHP Zane Barnhart to Tigers. Grade: Who cares

The Tigers moved backup catcher Jake Rogers. They got a Double-A reliever back. That's nice. Still not feeling good about most of it.

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