Tigers just had unexpected trade door open after Padres-Athletics blockbuster

The Detroit Tigers have been rather quiet at this year's MLB trade deadline, and the clock is ticking for Scott Harris and the front office to make improvements. Perhaps an unexpected trade between the Athletics and San Diego Padres will allow Detroit to cash in on one of the best relievers in baseball.

The A's and Friars pulled off a mega-deal just before noon on Thursday. San Diego acquired reliever Mason Miller and starter J.P. Sears in exchange for their top infield prospect, Leo De Vries, and others. With Miller in the fold, Padres' top exec AJ Preller is now shopping some of his top assets with only a few hours remaining before the deadline expires.

ESPN insider Buster Olney is reporting that Robert Suarez, one of the top closers in the game, will now be made available to the highest bidder. Olney cited the Tigers as one of the teams who's inquired about Suarez's availability, and also named the Seattle Mariners, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, and Houston Astros as potential landing spots for the two-time All-Star.

Tigers Rumors: Detroit targeting Robert Suarez after Padres-A's blockbuster

The Tigers missed out on the opportunity to bolster their lineup after Eugenio Suárez was traded to the Seattle Mariners late on Wednesday night, but the Padres now offer Detroit the chance upgrade the bullpen for the second half of the 2025 season.

Suarez has made 47 appearances out of the Friars' bullpen this season and owns a 3.43 ERA and 1.007 WHIP. The right-hander has 30 saves on the year and 47 punchouts in 44⅔ innings pitched. Pairing him at the back end of the Tigers' bullpen alongside Will Vest would give Detroit a fantastic 1-2 punch in the eighth and ninth inning.

There's also Suarez's contract — one that the cost-conscience Tigers would love. Suarez inked to a five-year, $46 million deal that contains an opt out after the season. As Olney points out, his $8 million this season would only cost Detroit about $3 million for the remainder of 2025. That's dirt cheap for a player who can lock things down in the ninth inning.

The Tigers are obviously in the mix, and after Preller emptied his farm system to nab Miller and Sears, he'll undoubtedly be looking to reload. Detroit's pipeline has more than enough depth to meet Preller's request, and now it's just a matter of whether or not Harris and Co. can get a deal done.

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