Tigers should aim for this Dodgers prospect package in Jack Flaherty trade

The Tigers have found themselves in an interesting position this trade deadline season, wherein they're the apple of all of the big buyers' eyes. Detroit won't be buying and don't really need to sell, but they have a perfect rental on their hands in Jack Flaherty and a coveted future Cy Young winner in Tarik Skubal.

Skubal is much more likely to stay put than Flaherty, who would be the main player in a trade that would be a win-win for the Tigers and whatever team manages to get him. Detroit won't be going to the postseason and probably won't want to give up enough money to keep Flaherty in free agency if he isn't traded, so the best route is to let him go and pick up some prospects in return.

The Dodgers have had their eyes on Skubal for a few weeks now, but they have to get in line behind the Orioles, who have the best farm system in baseball. Not getting Skubal wouldn't be the end of the world for LA, who are also being very aggressive with offers to the White Sox for Garrett Crochet. However, they could look to Flaherty instead (a hometown boy) and not have to worry about competition from Baltimore, who have a rocky history with him and likely won't want to give him another drive (although they apparently haven't ruled out a reunion entirely).

Evan Petzold of The Detroit Free Press floated a Tigers-Dodgers mock trade for Flaherty, as the Dodgers have been connected to him more frequently than anyone: No. 1 LA prospect Dalton Rushing (C/1B), and No. 26 prospect Noah Miller (SS/2B). We'll mix it up a little here, keeping Rushing but switching out Miller with No. 21 prospect Trey Sweeney and left fielder Ryan Ward, while throwing in Mark Canha to get a little bit more of a return from LA.

Tigers-Dodgers mock trade for Jack Flaherty includes two of LA's top prospects

Rushing's path to the majors is completely blocked in LA, which will probably make him one of the biggest trade chips for the Dodgers in any trade they make at the deadline. Will Smith signed a 10-year extension earlier this season to stay at backstop, and Freddie Freeman will have first base locked down until the end of 2027. The Tigers, meanwhile, are happy with their catching duo in Jake Rogers and Carson Kelly, but Kelly's contract expires at the end of the season and the Tigers could move Rushing straight to Triple-A after a trade if they really want to expedite him.

Sweeney ranks a few places above Miller and has been having a better season, which is why we threw in Canha here to make the deal work. Sweeney would be a clear replacement for Javy Báez, if the Tigers ever pluck up the courage to dump him before his contract is up. If not, he could move to second, as he has "stayed at shortstop longer than most scouts expected."

Ward is unranked in the Dodgers' pipeline but has been raking in Triple-A with little acknowledgement from LA. He's hitting .284 with a .998 OPS and was the Dodgers' first PCL Player of the Week back in April, after hitting five homers with 11 RBI. He could be an outfield solution for the Tigers as they wait on Parker Meadows to return and prove that his extended stay in the minors actually worked. Detroit also plans to rest Riley Greene more often because of issues with his legs, so Ward could be a valuable bench piece.

While the Tigers could be even more shortstaffed at first base without Canha, he's been hurt on and off lately, and Detroit has been depending on Gio Urshela more at first. Canha has also avoided the IL and is said to have a "robust" market. He also could be a solution for the Dodgers' outfield/bottom of the order problems, as he's been red hot through his last seven games with a .381 average and 1.167 OPS, especially if LA can't swing a trade with the White Sox that includes Luis Robert Jr.

Although letting go of Flaherty will leave even more problems for Detroit to solve regarding the rotation, trading him for prospects is the right thing to do. With the young hitters finally working out the kinks and Skubal shining, prospects are the right way to go for a player who would be out the door at the end of the season anyway.