Everything Scott Harris Said Following MLB Trade Deadline
· Yahoo Sports
Scott Harris faced the media following one of the most consequential trade deadlines in recent Detroit Tigers history.
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Over the course of nearly 40 minutes, Detroit’s president of baseball operations addressed the trades of Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize, the organization’s decision to sell, the club’s remaining playoff hopes, negotiations with other teams, Skubal’s contract situation and his own responsibility for a season that failed to meet expectations.
Harris also explained why Detroit did not add bullpen help, outlined what the organization sees in its newest prospects and strongly rejected the idea that the Tigers failed to maximize Skubal’s trade value.
Below is everything Harris said, organized by topic.
Harris Thanks Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize
Before explaining the organization’s deadline strategy, Harris paused to recognize two pitchers who had spent their entire professional careers with Detroit before being traded.
“Before I get into that question, I want to take a moment to thank Tarik and Casey.
“I think we’ve all seen what they contributed on the field. Very few of us get to see all the hard work and sacrifice they put into their craft and into putting themselves in a position to perform for this organization.
“There are so many ways they have made this organization better since they were drafted here and so many ways they have had a huge impact on the city.
“On behalf of the entire organization, I told them this individually, but I also wanted to say it to this group: We want to thank them for all of their contributions, sacrifice and hard work behind the scenes when absolutely nobody was watching.
“They put in that work to perform for our fans and make this organization better.
“We’re very grateful as an organization for everything they have done for us.”
Harris on Balancing the Present and Future
Harris described the deadline as a moment when Detroit’s immediate circumstances collided with its long-term outlook.
“I try to run this organization with one eye firmly planted on the present and one eye firmly fixed on the future.
“I don’t know any other way to do the job.
“Unfortunately, when you take that approach to running an organization, it sometimes leads to very difficult decision points.
“This deadline was a very difficult decision point.”
The Two Questions That Shaped Detroit’s Deadline
Harris said two questions guided the front office as it determined whether to buy, hold or sell.
“I was asking myself two questions over and over again.
“The first question was: Did I put this organization in a position to be aggressive and add to this team at the deadline? Did I position this organization to trade a significant part of our future for the present?
“Based on the first 112 games of the season, I think the answer was no.
“I don’t think we played well enough. I don’t think I did enough for this organization to justify trading a significant part of our future for the present.
“That’s the obvious question everybody asks at the deadline.
“The second question is a little less obvious but every bit as relevant: Did I do enough to position this organization in a way that I could justify trading a significant part of the future just to keep this group together?
“That wouldn’t be to add to the group. It would be doing nothing other than keeping this roster together.
“I think the answer to that question was also no.”
The Hidden Cost of Keeping the Roster Together
Standing pat would not have been a neutral decision, according to Harris.
“If you think about the trades we made this week, if we didn’t make them, we essentially would have been trading Zyhir Hope, River Ryan, Cash Mayfield and Brady Smith just to keep this group together.
“Based on the way we played over the first 112 games, I didn’t think it made sense to do that.
“Once I came to peace with the answer to both questions being no, I thought it was in the best interest of the organization to make the trades we made this week.”
Harris Says He Hates Selling
Harris made no attempt to portray selling as a comfortable or desirable outcome.
“I hate selling with every fiber in my body.
“I absolutely hate it.
“I don’t want to be in a position where we are selling in July.
“In the situation we found ourselves in this July, I thought it would have been irresponsible not to do it, given the markets we had for TK and Casey.
“I didn’t feel it was in the organization’s best interest to intentionally pass on injecting the level and volume of young talent that we added this month.
“I felt it was in the best interest of the organization to make those decisions. That’s how I approached it.”
Why Detroit Traded an Impact Player
The Skubal trade removed one of baseball’s best pitchers from Detroit’s roster. Harris said the Tigers needed potential impact talent in return.
“When approaching the Tarik trade, I kept reminding myself that if we were going to trade Tarik, we were going to lose an impact player.
“He is an impact player in every sense of the description.
“I wanted to make sure that, if we were going to lose an impact player, we were also going to gain potential impact players in return.
“With the return we received in the Tarik trade, I’m very confident that we did.”
Harris on Zyhir Hope’s Potential
Hope became the centerpiece of the three-player package Detroit received from the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“We’ve been following Zyhir Hope for a really long time.
“It’s a really impressive collection of speed and power.
“Watch the highlights. He has the ability to put together a major-league-quality at-bat. He has the bat-to-ball skills to touch the baseball and cover every pitch in every zone, but he can also access his power.
“At times, it looks like double-plus power to the pull side, but he also has enough power to go the opposite way and use the entire field.
“We play in a huge ballpark, and we need players who have the power to consistently change the score with one swing.
“This kid has a real chance to do that.
“He’s not there yet. He’s going to Erie first, and there is still development ahead of him.
“His ceiling is as high as any player in our organization.
“The opportunity to add him to this group was one we felt we couldn’t pass on.”
Hope Fills an Organizational Need
Detroit’s system entered the deadline with more high-end infield talent than outfield depth.
“Organizationally, we’re a little stronger in the infield and behind the plate than we are in the outfield.
“To add a player of this caliber who can change the score every time he steps into the batter’s box and also be an asset defensively was a big priority for us.
“We were thrilled to get him into the deal.”
Harris on River Ryan’s Frontline Potential
Harris views Ryan as far more than a complementary piece.
“River Ryan also plays a position of relative need for us.
“In this era of baseball, it is really difficult to find elite stuff. Truly elite stuff doesn’t grow on trees.
“It’s really difficult to find pitchers with the potential to become front-of-the-rotation starters.
“You’re either picking them at the very top of the draft, spending hundreds of millions of dollars on them in free agency or taking real shots in trades.
“I think that’s what we did with River Ryan.
“He’s a converted position player who started pitching a little late, but in terms of raw ability and talent, he’s as gifted as any pitcher in our entire organization.
“The opportunity to add a player who has a chance to become a true frontline starter was something we couldn’t pass on.”
Detroit Adds Needed Pitching to the Farm System
The Tigers used the deadline and the draft to address what Harris viewed as an organizational imbalance.
“There was a little imbalance in our organization before this month.
“We had a lot of position-player talent, but I think we were a little lighter on the pitching side.
“The opportunity to add River Ryan, Cash Mayfield, Cameron Flukey and some other interesting arms through the draft changes the trajectory of the organization.
“We added a significant caliber of pitching this month, both at the deadline and in the draft.”
Harris on Brady Smith
Smith, the third player acquired from Los Angeles, will begin his Tigers career with West Michigan.
“Brady Smith is a really interesting, projectable starting pitcher.
“We really like the fastball and think it can play. We like the shape and the power behind it, and we think there’s more coming.
“He has a true swing-and-miss changeup. It’s an equalizer-type changeup that should allow him to stay in the rotation and attack both right-handed and left-handed hitters.
“We also think he has the ability to spin the ball.
“He’s just scratching the surface of his ability.
“He’s going to West Michigan, and we trust our pitching development group to help him access more gains.
“The Dodgers did a really good job developing him after selecting him in the third round out of high school.
“We intend to help him raise the bar and find another gear as a Tiger.”
When Detroit Began Preparing to Sell
Harris said the front office had been preparing for either direction well before formally deciding to move players.
“To be totally honest, I started planning for both sides weeks ago.
“It wasn’t because I didn’t have faith in this group, and it wasn’t because I was hoping to sell.
“Again, I hate selling more than anything.
“These decisions are too important. You have to be prepared for them.
“I started preparing for both outcomes weeks ago: adding to this team and taking players off this team to secure our future.”
The Final Decision Came After the Baltimore Series
Detroit’s series against the Orioles became the final test before Harris chose a direction.
“I didn’t formally make the decision until after the Baltimore series.
“I wanted to give this team every opportunity to make a compelling case that we shouldn’t do this.
“We didn’t make that case.
“It’s not on the players. It’s not on the coaches. It’s on me.
“If there’s anyone you should point to, it’s me.
“Collectively, we didn’t make a compelling enough case to add to this team.
“We also didn’t make a compelling enough case not to subtract from this team.”
Why Standing Pat Was Not Free
Harris again stressed that holding Skubal and Mize would have carried a significant organizational cost.
“It costs real parts of your future to decide to hold.
“It’s not a costless decision.
“The players I’m really excited about, the players we’re all excited about and the players our scouts are excited about wouldn’t be here unless we made the difficult decision to complete these trades.”
Harris Rejects the White Flag Label
Despite trading two All-Star-caliber pitchers, Harris insisted Detroit has not quit on the season.
“Not at all. That’s a firm no.
“This season is not over.
“We’re 112 games into the season, and we’ve learned a lot about this group.
“This is still the same organization, with many of the same players, that completely flipped the script in 2024.
“The Gritty Tigs got hot in August and completely flipped the script on that season.”
Detroit’s Record Does Not Define the Team
Harris believes the roster still has enough ability to change the direction of the season.
“Our record on August 3 does not define us.
“The record so far does not define what this season will ultimately tell us about this group.
“There’s still a lot I like about this team.
“Over the past few weeks, we’ve made internal additions that have made us more athletic.
“Our at-bat quality has gotten much better.
“We’re riding real momentum coming out of Sacramento.
“There are young starters coming into their own in our rotation who make our future bright and also make our present bright.”
Harris on Detroit’s Recent Improvements
The Tigers’ front office believes several areas of the roster have improved despite the deadline departures.
“Our defense has massively improved over the past few weeks.
“Our ability to put together quality at-bats, avoid expanding the zone and hand the baton to the next hitter has improved.
“There are going to be additions to this team. They’re just going to be internal additions right now.
“Adding Max to the scene was a huge boost for us.
“There are more players coming, just like there were in 2024.”
Harris Admits the Playoff Path Became Harder
Trading Skubal and Mize unquestionably reduced Detroit’s immediate margin for error.
“Part of the decision we made involved adding more young talent to this group.
“We’re going to make more decisions that add other players to this group.
“This team is talented enough to flip the script, just like the 2024 team did.
“Did I make it a little harder this week? Yes, I did.
“That’s one of the harder decisions you have to make when there are real trade-offs.”
Harris Still Believes Detroit Has Enough Talent
Harris sees enough remaining ability to justify continuing the postseason push.
“This team is really talented.
“We have some of the best position players in baseball on this team.
“We have young starters and arms coming who have a chance to help us, including River Ryan.
“As he progresses through his rehabilitation, he may end up pitching for this team and affecting us in September.
“It may seem like a conflicting message, but I don’t think it is.
“We have to hold both thoughts in our heads and recognize what is happening on the field and the momentum we built in Sacramento.”
Will the Tigers Make the Playoffs?
Harris stopped short of predicting a postseason berth but left no doubt about Detroit’s intended approach.
“Am I saying we’re definitely going to make the playoffs? No, I’m not saying that.
“I am definitely saying we’re not raising the white flag, and we’re not giving up on this season.
“We still have plenty of games left, and we can flip the script like we did in 2024.”
Why Detroit Did Not Wait Until Deadline Day
Some questioned whether the Tigers could have extracted more value by holding Skubal until the final hours. Harris rejected that idea.
“I saw some discussion about the notion that, had we waited until deadline day, the return would have been different.
“I can address that directly.
“We came into this very well prepared.
“We had a firm idea of the type of deal we wanted to land, and we had a deep understanding of what every organization had to offer.”
How the Market for an Elite Player Works
Harris said Skubal’s market operated differently from those involving lesser players.
“There is a unique dynamic with a player like Tarik Skubal.
“Deadline markets for the top players are different from the rest of the market.
“I understand the intuition that you’re supposed to wait until the very last second and pull the trigger to maximize the return.
“That’s not how markets for the top players work.
“There wasn’t a team pursuing Tarik that was waiting to see if it could acquire somebody else and then planning to pivot to him.
“Those market forces weren’t affecting each team’s appetite for a package to land Skubal.
“That was very clear in my conversations with the teams involved.”
Harris Says Detroit Controlled the Timing
The Tigers felt no need to allow the process to drift once they understood what every serious bidder was prepared to offer.
“The market was the market.
“The teams that were in were in, and the teams that weren’t in were not in.
“With a player who is truly at the top of the market and truly one of one, we had the steering wheel.
“We could steer it as fast or as slowly as we wanted.
“By Saturday night, it was abundantly clear what every organization was going to be able to do.
“We laid all of the offers in front of us, and we chose one.”
Harris Believes Detroit Maximized Skubal’s Value
Harris expressed complete confidence in both the return and the timing.
“I’m very confident that we maximized the return we could get for Tarik Skubal.
“I saw somewhere that this was the only rental trade ever to include two Top 100 prospects. I don’t know whether that is true because I haven’t done the research.
“I’m very excited about the players we acquired.
“I’m confident we maximized the market.
“I’m also confident that the overall health and outlook of this organization are better because of how we handled the deal and when we pulled the trigger.”
Why Detroit Kept Other Trade Candidates
The Tigers received interest in several players but did not believe every available return justified another move.
“In each case, we fully analyzed the potential return for every player.
“We had to make a judgment call about whether it was worth pulling the trigger or whether we should keep the players and continue trying to flip the script on the season and force our way into the playoff picture.”
The Difference Between the Skubal and Mize Markets
The offers for Skubal and Mize reached a threshold Detroit did not see elsewhere.
“When you look at the returns for Tarik and Casey, I felt it would have been irresponsible to pass on those returns for the sake of keeping them on the team.
“With other players and other markets, it was much clearer that the value of potentially winning, keeping those players around our young players and continuing to build on our recent momentum was more important than the additional value we could have acquired in those deals.
“That’s how we approached it, and that’s how we arrived at these outcomes.”
Harris Confirms Detroit Explored a Skubal Extension
The Tigers made one attempt to negotiate a longer-term agreement with Skubal.
“We explored an extension once.
“The response I received from Tarik’s agent was pretty clear that he intended to reach free agency and explore the market.
“That is completely his right, and nobody should be upset about it.
“He has put himself in a position to explore the market, and he decided that’s what he wanted to do.
“He should not be criticized for it.”
Harris Expects Skubal to Reach Free Agency
The Tigers understood Skubal’s plan after that conversation.
“It was very clear from that exchange what the intentions were.
“He deserves the opportunity.
“I expect him to be a free agent this winter, and we’ll see what happens from there.”
Negotiations With the Dodgers
Harris declined to identify every player who entered or left the trade discussions.
“I’m not going to get into the details out of respect for Andrew Friedman and the way the Dodgers run their organization.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been part of a negotiation in which certain players weren’t taken off the table.
“These deals are complex.
“There were many layers, and organizations have different priorities they’re trying to achieve while still adding to their teams.
“There were players we couldn’t acquire. That’s similar to every negotiation.
“For instance, we couldn’t get Ohtani for Tarik.
“That’s just how these negotiations go.”
Why Skubal Made His Final Tigers Start
Detroit did not formally commit to selling until after Skubal’s final outing.
“We didn’t entertain scratching Tarik.
“As I mentioned, we formally made the decision after the Orioles series.
“There was no reason to scratch him before that.”
Harris Confirms a Bidding War for Skubal
Harris said multiple organizations made aggressive attempts to acquire Detroit’s ace.
“There was a bidding war.
“There were a lot of organizations involved.
“There wasn’t any need to stretch it further.
“The organizations involved were extremely aggressive.
“They submitted what I believed were their maximum offers, and then they added to those offers.”
Harris Calls Timing Criticism “Garbage”
The strongest portion of Harris’ defense centered on claims that Detroit moved too early.
“The teams reached a point of almost audible pain when they produced their best and final offers.
“They gave those offers to us, and we pulled the trigger.
“Respectfully, the notion that we should have waited another 24 or 48 hours and extracted more value is garbage.
“That’s not how these negotiations work.
“The organizations involved were extremely aggressive.
“We got to their best and final offers, chose the best one and are extremely excited about the package we accepted.
“We think these players have a chance to become really good major-league players for a long time with the Tigers.”
Choosing Between Multiple Strong Offers
The Dodgers were not the only organization willing to make a serious proposal.
“It was a really difficult decision.
“It wasn’t unanimous.
“It wasn’t a situation where there was only one deal and the Dodgers were the only team willing to do it.
“There were multiple deals, and it was a difficult decision.
“That’s a credit to Tarik and how good he is.
“He’s a special player. Everybody knows that.
“Many organizations saw it and tried hard to add him to their teams.
“The Dodgers ultimately had the best deal and the deal that fit us best.
“We were excited to pull the trigger.”
How Rental Trades Can Change Franchises
Harris pointed to two prominent examples of players acquired in deadline deals who later became franchise cornerstones.
“Deadline history teaches an important lesson, and it’s one we tried to learn throughout our preparation.
“It’s not sexy to talk about, but sometimes the biggest impact is on the other side of these trades.
“Look at some of the best players in baseball right now.
“Pete Crow-Armstrong and Zack Wheeler were on the other side of rental trades.
“They were traded for rentals and fundamentally changed the trajectory of the organizations that acquired them.
“PCA was traded for Javier Báez, and Zack Wheeler was traded for Carlos Beltrán.”
The Difference Between Buying and Selling
Harris believes the possible long-term value available to sellers creates an important imbalance at the deadline.
“There’s a lot of potential impact in these deals.
“There’s a real asymmetry between the buying side and the selling side.
“That contributes to the idea that, when you’re put in a position where you have to make these difficult decisions, it would be irresponsible not to make them.
“I’m not saying the players we acquired are going to become PCA or Zack Wheeler.
“When you have an opportunity to add impact talent and players with ceilings as high as these players have, they have a real chance to impact the organization.”
Harris’ Experience as a Deadline Buyer
Harris has also seen the value of deadline additions from the contender’s perspective.
“The buying side is important, too.
“I’ve been part of it.
“With the Cubs in 2016, we traded for Aroldis Chapman, and he helped us win the World Series.
“With the Giants in 2021, when we won 107 games, we traded for Kris Bryant, and he helped us win 107 games.
“There is impact on both sides.”
Changing Detroit’s Long-Term Trajectory
Detroit’s front office believes its additions could reshape the organization for years.
“It’s sometimes less exciting to discuss how being on the selling side and pulling the trigger on major deals can fundamentally change an organization’s trajectory.
“If you look around the league, there are many players who were included in deadline deals on the less-publicized side who fundamentally improved an organization’s health and outlook.
“We feel like we took a meaningful step in that direction.
“We have a lot of confidence that the players we added will be exciting for our fans to watch for many years and will help us win a lot of games in the future.”
Harris Knew Early That an Extension Was Unlikely
Skubal’s long-term contract situation had been clear for some time.
“It was pretty clear early.
“If you remember the 2024 deadline, the predominant story was that the Tigers needed to trade Tarik Skubal.
“People said we were wasting his years of team control, that we would never win with him and that we should maximize his value and trade him in 2024.
“We didn’t do that.
“We made the playoffs in 2024 and again in 2025.
“We intended to make the playoffs in 2026, and we might still make the playoffs in 2026.
“At this point, though, it felt important to make the difficult decision in 2026.”
Detroit Entered the Season Trying to Win With Skubal
Harris denied that the Tigers planned to trade Skubal before the season began.
“We didn’t enter the season intending to trade Skubal.
“If anything, it was the opposite.
“We had opportunities to trade him during the winter, and we chose not to because we were trying to win the World Series here.
“When I reflect on the first half, I was really excited about this roster.
“A lot of people on this call, a lot of fans and a lot of baseball experts were excited about this roster.
“They thought this team had a chance to win the division and make a deep postseason run.”
Injuries Broke Detroit’s Roster
Detroit’s injury total became one of the defining factors in the season.
“We placed 35 players from our 40-man roster on the injured list before the trade deadline. Thirty-five.
“That doesn’t account for the day-to-day injuries players are playing through while impaired.
“It doesn’t account for setbacks during rehabilitation or injuries in the minor leagues that hollowed out our depth.
“We experienced real adversity during the first half.
“When I reflected on how we played and how injuries broke us in May, we were taking on water and didn’t have enough buckets to handle it.”
Why the Circumstances Led to a Skubal Trade
The injury crisis and Skubal’s free-agent plan combined to make the decision unavoidable in Harris’ view.
“When you combine the injuries and their effect on our play with the reality that we didn’t have a chance to sign Tarik to a long-term deal beyond this season because he intended to explore free agency, it became clear that the correct decision was to make the trade.
“We had an opportunity to add high-impact young talent in return for an obvious high-impact player who was leaving the organization.”
Harris Declines to Give a Specific Extension Timeline
Harris would not identify exactly when the Tigers learned a long-term agreement was unlikely.
“I’m not going to give you a specific date.
“It became clear very early.
“There were dynamics at play that you all know.
“It was pretty clear early that we were not going to be able to extend Tarik.”
How the Casey Mize Trade Developed
Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller made his interest known early.
“A.J. Preller, the Padres’ president of baseball operations, reached out pretty early.
“It was clear that he was going to add starting pitching at the deadline.
“He expressed interest in Casey Mize.
“The main player we were interested in was a left-handed starter named Cash Mayfield.”
Harris on Cash Mayfield
The Tigers had followed Mayfield since before San Diego selected him.
“Cash was a first-round pick a couple of years ago.
“We really liked him in the draft, and he was always a player we had our eye on.
“He has a big, projectable frame, an athletic delivery and a really fast arm.
“He has the fastball shape and deception that typically create unique playability.
“You can see it in the swing-and-miss rates on his fastball and in his high strikeout rates.”
Mayfield’s Velocity Potential
Detroit believes Mayfield’s fastball can improve as he develops physically.
“He’s still only throwing around 91 or 92 mph and touching 95.
“He’s still growing into his body and reaching the velocity gains that we think will eventually help his fastball play even better.
“Even before reaching that projected velocity, the combination of his deception, fast arm, delivery and fastball shape has produced a pitch that is already dominant in the minor leagues.”
Harris on Mayfield’s Secondary Pitches
Mayfield’s arsenal contains more than a deceptive fastball.
“He pairs the fastball with a swing-and-miss changeup that helps the fastball play because it keeps hitters off balance.
“I don’t think hitters see the ball particularly well against him.
“He also has the capacity to spin the ball.
“He possesses all the attributes you look for in a young starting pitcher.
“He’s growing into his ability and ceiling, and we think there are ways we can help him continue that growth.
“He’s an impressive and talented young player.
“We’re excited to add him and hand him over to our pitching development group so he can eventually become a starter who helps us win major-league games.”
Harris on Jackson Wolf
Wolf was acquired as a potential source of upper-level pitching depth.
“We also added Jackson Wolf, a funky left-hander who creates unique angles.
“The main goal there was to add innings to our Triple-A team and potentially support our major-league club.”
Harris Accepts Responsibility for Detroit’s Season
Harris said the final results begin with the person who assembled the roster.
“I take responsibility for all of it.
“I thought this roster was really talented.
“I believed we could accomplish some good things going into the season.
“That seemed to be the broad consensus among industry insiders, other teams that gave me feedback, our fans, many writers and the projection systems.
“It didn’t happen for us this year.”
Why There Is Not One Simple Explanation
Harris resisted reducing Detroit’s season to one failure.
“There are many reasons why.
“It’s convenient to distill misfortune down to one reason or one factor.
“I don’t think that reflects reality.
“There was a series of contributing factors.”
The Unprecedented Injury Total
Harris described the number of injured players as something he had never experienced.
“One of the main factors was that I didn’t think it was possible to place 35 players on the injured list before the trade deadline.
“If you had asked me for the first-percentile outcome in terms of injuries, I probably would have said half of that.
“I’ve never seen anything like it in my life.
“That’s not an excuse. It’s an observation.”
The Downstream Effects of Injuries
The damage extended beyond the production lost from unavailable players.
“When you place that many players on the injured list, there’s the visible effect of losing their production.
“There are also downstream effects that are incredibly challenging for an organization.
“When you lose starters, you put additional pressure on your bullpen.
“You start taxing the bullpen, and you pay for that later in the season.
“We may be paying for some of it right now.”
Players Were Forced Into Difficult Roles
Detroit’s depth problems changed how the remaining roster had to be used.
“When you lose half your lineup, you put players into positions they may not be prepared for.
“You may overexpose some players.
“Since I arrived, I think we’ve done a good job of putting players in positions to succeed.
“We didn’t have that luxury because we were running so thin on depth.”
Harris on Detroit’s Injury Crisis
The Tigers lost players throughout every area of the roster.
“We lost half our bullpen.
“Our rotation made it through the season one time.
“We didn’t even have a full rotation by the time we returned home after beginning the season.
“We lost half our bullpen and half our position players.
“We were taking on so much water that we dug a deep hole.”
Harris Praises the Players for Recovering
Detroit’s players did manage to climb back into the postseason conversation after a disastrous May.
“I’m really proud of these players for digging us out of the hole.
“We went from a 6-22 month in May to where we are now.
“It speaks to the character of these players and how they refuse to give up.
“I wouldn’t count them out for the rest of the season.
“They’re talented, and they have a chance to flip the script.”
Harris Says the Ultimate Blame Belongs to Him
Harris said the organization needed more protection against the injuries it experienced.
“The ultimate blame lies with me.
“I should have built more depth.
“I should have found ways to keep players healthier.
“I should have found more buckets to clear the water in May so we didn’t have a 6-22 month.
“There are many things I’ve reflected on from the first half and many areas in which I can do a better job of positioning this organization.
“I promise you that I’ve lost a lot of sleep thinking about it.
“I’ve developed concrete takeaways that I can use to improve and make sure a season like this doesn’t happen again.”
Why Detroit Did Not Add Bullpen Help
The price of relief pitching led the Tigers to favor internal options.
“Given the prices of relievers, it falls into the first question I discussed.
“Could we afford to trade young talent to add to the bullpen, or were we better off addressing it through internal additions?
“Some players are going to receive opportunities because of these trades, and some players are going to return from the injured list soon.”
Potential Internal Pitching Help
Harris named Brent Hurter and River Ryan as pitchers who could strengthen the staff.
“Brent Hurter is about to begin a rehabilitation assignment.
“That’s an important arm we’ve been missing.
“River Ryan is working his way back, and I think he’s going to give this team a big boost.
“When we considered the prices, the quality of the relievers available and the overall context of our situation, it didn’t make sense to make an external addition.
“It made more sense to give opportunities to young players who deserve them.
“There are pitchers throwing the ball well in Toledo, and we’re going to continue giving them opportunities.”
Young Tigers Are Seizing Opportunities
The injuries forced Detroit to promote several prospects earlier than expected.
“One thing that excites me about this team is how the players who have received opportunities because of the injuries have taken advantage of them.
“Think about some of the debuts we’ve seen.
“Kevin has emerged as one of the best players in baseball.
“Valencia has made the most of his opportunity. He went deep in his first game, put together good at-bats in Sacramento and has continued working on every part of his catching, including receiving, blocking, throwing and handling the pitching staff.”
Harris on Max Clark’s Impact
Clark’s arrival helped the Tigers on both sides of the ball.
“What Max has done in his debut has been impressive, and not only offensively.
“I love the at-bats, but he has also strengthened our outfield defensively.
“He allows us to move Javy back to shortstop, which strengthens our infield.”
Harris on Hao-Yu Lee’s Growth
Lee has responded positively after a difficult first opportunity.
“Hao-Yu Lee had a difficult first opportunity, but his second tour has been impressive.
“His ability to do damage while controlling the strike zone and his versatility around the infield have been impressive.”
Young Relievers Will Receive Opportunities
Detroit’s bullpen may be the next area where prospects receive extended looks.
“I think you’re going to see similar things in the bullpen as we give more opportunities to young players who demonstrate that they deserve them.
“In this moment, we felt we should give opportunities to our young players instead of acquiring additions who might block those opportunities for the rest of the season.”
Bottom Line
Scott Harris did not attempt to hide from the weight of Detroit’s deadline.
He admitted the Tigers made their postseason path more difficult. He accepted responsibility for the roster’s lack of depth and said the organization failed to play well enough to justify buying or even holding the roster together unchanged.
Harris also defended the process behind the Skubal trade as forcefully as possible. Detroit received multiple aggressive offers, pushed bidders to their limits and selected the package the front office believed offered the greatest long-term impact.
The Tigers insist they have not surrendered the season. At the same time, Harris clearly prioritized an opportunity to reshape the organization’s future rather than risk watching Skubal and Mize depart without sufficient returns.
It was a painful choice.
Harris believes it was also the responsible one.
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