Detroit radio speculates on Tigers player Scott Harris refused to trade at deadline

The decisions that Scott Harris made at the MLB trade deadline continue to be a talking point for the Detroit Tigers, especially with the collapse the team saw in September and into the playoffs. When Harris met with reporters after the Tigers were eliminated in the ALDS by the Seattle Mariners, he doubled down on the stance he had at the deadline.

The impression was that Harris didn't want to give up a player who could not only help the Tigers this season, but also in multiple seasons ahead, and fans were quick to suggest Troy Melton was the player being talked about.

While Harris stopped just short of specifically mentioning Melton, 97.1 The Ticket put all the clues together.

Tigers trade deadline mystery: Who did Scott Harris refuse to move?

The one prospect that not only helped the Tigers during the final two months of the regular season but was also included on the team's playoff roster was Melton. He was excellent during his 16 appearances in the regular season, posting a 2.76 ERA with opposing batters hitting under .200 against him. Outside of a rough appearance against the Cleveland Guardians during the Wild Card round, Melton was a difference maker during the playoffs for the Tigers.

Given the success of Melton, he has to be the player Harris was referring to. Even more so, it would seem that the trade in question was a potential deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks for Eugenio Suarez.

As Harris alluded to, Suarez's run with the Mariners to close out the season wasn't exactly a pillar of success. In 220 plate appearances with the Mariners after the deadline, Suarez did have 13 home runs, but he hit under .200 with a 91 wRC+. It hasn't been much better in the playoffs either, as he's logged a .152 average with only one home run and a 35 wRC+.

In other words, Suarez wasn't the game-changer in the Tigers' playoff series against the Mariners. Furthermore, it would have been a terrible look for Harris if the Tigers were bounced from the playoffs while Suarez was a shell of what he was with the Diamondbacks to start the season. And if Melton was the price, considering he has the appearance of being the next top-of-the-rotation arm for the Tigers, it really would've been a regrettable deal.