ICroupier

5 innings from the starters is not going to cut it with this bullpen. So while the starters haven't been the whole problem, they're certainly part of the problem.

You know things are bad when you have to prop up a team with a .382 win % just to avoid the reality that the Tigers are going to get trounced in the playoffs.

Valdez just threw at his own catcher. Hard pass. Imanaga and King aren't going anywhere. And Cease and Senga have been terrible. And yes, trades can be made. Read the thread and you'll see that's the point I'm trying to make. Harris didn't make the trade necessary to be a contender this year, and it will cost us in the playoffs. And most of the board seems OK with that in order to keep prospects. There's nothing more frustrating than being a playoff team with no legit shot at winning a title.

Not being a ****, but that's the kind of "hope and pray" that put us in the position we're in this year. It's just not going to cut it and will waste our last year with Skubal. Neither Mize nor Olsen are a #2 in a title contender. If Mize takes the next step, that's him becoming a consistent #3 who can prove he can last 6+ innings and/or not give up 4+ runs once every 4 starts. He hasn't shown that. If Olsen can stay healthy, he can be an OK #3. He showed some promise in the postseason, but 9 innings in 2 starts isn't going to cut it with a below average bullpen. Out of the rest, Jobe will be a total non-factor in 2026. Flaherty looks terrible and I have no interest in bringing him back. I like Melton and hope he can be a #4 but I'll settle for a #5 next year. And I'm just not high on SGL. His stuff is so hittable at the major league level. So once again, we'll find ourselves in the same position in 2026. Not to mention, what happens in 2027 when we lose Skubal? This team needs to find a top of the rotation guy before they find themselves with none.

Here's the list of free agent pitchers. It's piss poor. What's your plan to land a #2 pitcher who can help in the playoffs? Dylan Cease, Zac Gallen, Framber Valdez, Chris Sale (club option), Michael King (mutual option), Jack Flaherty (opt-out), Justin Verlander, Jordan Montgomery, Shane Bieber (player option), Shota Imanaga (club option/player option), Max Scherzer, Clayton Kershaw, Brandon Woodruff (mutual option), Zach Eflin, Kodai Senga (opt-out), Ranger Suárez, Chris Bassitt, Walker Buehler (mutual option), Nestor Cortes, Jon Gray, Merrill Kelly, Frankie Montas (opt-out), Dustin May, Tyler Mahle, Freddy Peralta (club option), Nick Martinez, Marcus Stroman (vesting option), Lucas Giolito (club option), Aaron Civale, Kenta Maeda, Charlie Morton, Michael Lorenzen (mutual option), Germán Márquez, José Urquidy (club option), Tyler Anderson, Andrew Heaney, Kyle Hendricks, Steven Matz, Miles Mikolas, Chris Paddack, Erick Fedde, Alex Cobb, Tomoyuki Sugano, Jose Quintana (mutual option), Griffin Canning, Michael Soroka, Martín Pérez (mutual option), Colin Rea (club option), Cal Quantrill, Kyle Hart (club option), John Means (club option), Patrick Corbin, Kyle Gibson

Joe Ryan, Mackenzie Gore. Even Edward Cabrera.

Can't say that I agree. Our SP is a trainwreck. And it's not like it's magically going to be better next year - adding Melton as a 4/5 might help the back end a little, but it won't move the needle for a time contender. And for those saying the prospect cost would have been too high. I'd rather trade prospects for a pitcher with a decent contract vs. spend $250M on one in FA.

That's a recipe for an ALDS exit. Mize has been far too inconsistent. The bullpen has 3 reliable arms, only 1 of which are "chaos" arms. And let's face it, not even Skubal has been his dominant self. I hope Harris' offseason plans are far more active than his trade deadline plans.

You raked Riley endlessly, but I suppose that's legitimate criticism? Yet, I factually point out that Sweeney has 2 multi-hit games in his last 55 games and suggest that someone barely hitting .200 doesn't belong on a contending team's major league roster, and I'm somehow a "troll"? Sure thing champ.

That was Sweeney's 2nd game with 2 or more hits in his last 55 games. 55!!

Skubal has allowed at least 3 runs in his last 3 starts, the bullpen outside of Finnegan and Vest has been suspect, and the offense is a hot mess. I don't like their chances against any playoff team - even in a Skubal start - with the way they're playing. And moreso, I hope for a sweep to wake Harris from any daydream that this team - as it's currently constructed - is a World Series contender.

At this point, I'd be surprised if this team isn't swept in the first round.

Sweeney is not a major leaguer and should not be on the roster of a contending team.

LOL. Our only good pitcher throwing batting practice, and our offense continues to be atrocious. This team is cooked.

So our comp package would have been Melton and Briceno/Liranzo? Assume not many would have been interested in that.

This team is cooked. Sell at the deadline. Trade Flaherty again. Move Torres to clear way for one of our dozen MI youngsters. But I truly hope they see this season as I horrifically botched opportunity, learn from it, and come back actually ready to compete next season.

Keller doesn't move the needle for me AT ALL. Don't see how he's any better than Mize / Olson / Flaherty. As I've been saying, we need a legit #2. Otherwise, we're just throwing away prospects for lateral moves.

Not gonna happen. This team is broken. Suspect SP. Horrible bullpen. Non-existent offense. I think the more likely outcome post-trade deadline is they blow the division in one of the largest freefalls in recent memory.

These days we need 3 games just to get to 6 runs in total.

This team has no chance come playoff time. Giving away games when the most dominant pitcher in the game does his thing. Sorry.

This team is a mess, top to bottom.

Bednar is the only one in that group who interests me. We need a #2 starter, not another #4/#5 starter. And Hayes doesn't interest me at all. I'm not all that keen on spending any prospect capital on hitting, but if I were to, he's the exact opposite of the prototype I'd be looking for.

Repeat. Bullpen is a mess.

Bullpen is a mess. We run out this unit in the playoffs and you can forget it.

With a season that exceeded expectations but was still a disappointment. How's that for nuance? Baseball is a fickle sport. Windows can close as fast as they open. This team has a legit shot this year. The Dodgers, Yankees, Phillies, Astros are all vulnerable. And while a handful of trades won't guarantee success, there's at least the chance to improve on status quo.