Tigers named a dark horse candidate to land Cy Young winner at trade deadline

After their surprise run to the ALDS in 2024, the Detroit Tigers enter the 2025 season facing heightened expectations. They made some key moves to bolster their roster during the offseason, bringing back right-hander Jack Flaherty on a two-year deal and signing second baseman Gleyber Torres in free agency. But they may not be done making moves yet as they look to gear up for what they hope will be a deep playoff run.

In the event that the Tigers are in a position to add some key pieces at the MLB trade deadline, they may look to bolster their pitching staff even further. More specifically, Mike Axisa of CBS Sports predicts that Detroit will swing a trade for Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara.

"They have one of the best farm systems in baseball, so they can win a prospect-package bidding war, and pairing Alcantara with reigning AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal will be awfully tempting," Axisa wrote. "Alcantara's affordable contract (signed through 2026 with a club option for 2027) makes it even more of a no-brainer."

Tigers named a dark horse candidate to trade for Marlins' Sandy Alcantara

Alcantara is back from Tommy John surgery and only a few years removed from a Cy Young Award-winning season. The two-time All-Star could solidify the top of Detroit's rotation, and the opportunity to have the one-two punch of Skubal and Alcantara might be too tempting for the Tigers to pass up.

Alcantara's two remaining years of team control, plus the club option for 2027, make him especially appealing to a team on the rise like the Tigers. However, it could also raise the Marlins' asking price, and it's unclear whether Detroit will be willing to part with the kind of talented prospects that Miami will likely seek in return.

At this point, however, Scott Harris and the front office know a splash is necessary to take this team to the next level, and there might be blood in the water after the team failed to land Alex Bregman in free agency. If impact bats aren't available come late July, then the next best thing would be adding elite arms to the rotation and maintain a healthy window for 2026, which is the last year of Skubal's control.

Whether it's Alcantara or another big name, the Tigers must be aggressive when it comes to upgrading or else they might fade into the background yet again.

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