Josh Naylor trade shows D-backs are selling, but Tigers might watch from the sidelines

There was some doubt as to whether or not the Diamondbacks would be sellers at the trade deadline, but their decision to trade Josh Naylor to the Mariners on Thursday night made it pretty clear where they stand. The extent to which they'll sell is still up for debate — there's some expectation that they deal even five or six more players by the deadline — but contenders may be able to feast on Arizona's roster.

Merrill Kelly, Zac Gallen, and most importantly Eugenio Suárez are all on the trade block with expiring contracts. Kelly and Gallen will have their suitors, but Suárez is expected to be the crown jewel of the deadline.

Tigers fans would love nothing more than to see Suárez come back to Detroit and, straight from the horse's mouth, he would love to come back too. However, the Tigers have never actually been connected to Suárez in any meaningful way, and it seems that the front office may be trending toward a conservative approach — in Scott Harris' words, "pragmatism" — at the deadline.

The Mariners and Diamondbacks are frequent trade partners, have already pulled off a deal involving Naylor, and Seattle also wants a reunion with Suárez. Of course, they're not alone — the Yankees, Cubs, Brewers, and maybe Reds are all expected to bid — and if pragmatism is the Tigers' approach, they're not going to touch that kind of competition with a 10-foot pole.

Mariners-Diamondbacks' Josh Naylor trade kicked off deadline season, but where do the Tigers stand on Eugenio Suárez?

The Diamondbacks are reportedly asking for a metric ton in a return for Suárez, which would immediately repel the Tigers before they could even thinking about asking about specifics. Their Nos. 1-4 prospects — Kevin McGonigle, Max Clark, Bryce Rainer, and Josue Briceño — all seem untouchable, and Arizona could demand one of them in a trade. Harris would never abide.

There are others further down the pipeline who would be easier to pass off, including third baseman Hao-Yu Lee and second baseman Max Anderson, but that might not be enough.

It seems that solving the third base issue has slid down the Tigers' list of priorities this season. Maybe Jace Jung figures it out, or they call up Lee in late August to mirror last year's approach. Maybe they just trust that Zach McKinstry or Javy Báez find their grooves again. Either way, it doesn't look like they're going to go all-in on Suárez, much to fans' chagrin.