When the Detroit Tigers decided not to trade Tarik Skubal, some interesting questions about the future of the organization were raised. It was the right move not to trade him, but considering the package they could’ve landed in return, was this an indication that the Tigers plan to spend in the offseason?

Their embarrassing payroll is inexcusable for multiple reasons, and if the front office and ownership want to compete in the near future, it has to change.

They can continue to allow young players to play, which they should continue to do, but they’ll also have to add some veterans into the mix that make sense on the roster.

Spending money this offseason to build a competent team around Skubal should be the plan. They have the best pitcher in baseball and with two more years of team control after this year, why not go out and try to compete with him?

The chances of making the postseason this season seem low, but it’s still been a stepping stone for 2025. There has been some impressive play throughout the campaign on both sides of the baseball and if some of their young players can continue to develop, they’ll be in a good position to even possibly contend one day.

An MLB executive told Mark Feinsand of MLB.com that he understands why Detroit did what they did at the deadline. He even noted that they could be a team that does contend in the near future.

“I get the teams that made moves and why they made them, but I was more interested in the teams that didn’t do much,” an AL exec said. “If you’re the Tigers or Giants, you can squint and see a path to contention over the next couple years because they have good resources and some good young players.”

These are big words from the executive, but it just goes to show how impressive the Tigers have been at times. It hasn’t always been sunshine and rainbows for them throughout 2024, currently 53-60 and 3-7 in their last 10 games, but there have been plenty of bright spots.

All that’s left at this point is for the front office to go out and add the right players. If they can find a way to do so in the offseason, one can make a strong argument that they might be one of the top teams in the American League and be in a position to win the Central.

SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners were going into the first of a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday off one of the most impressive series wins of the season.

The Mariners took two-of-three games from National League contenders — the Philadelphia Phillies — and the offense looked like it had taken the necessary strides that fans were clamoring for.

Unfortunately that momentum didn’t carry over as a struggling rookie had a career night against the M’s.

Detroit beat Seattle 4-2 on Tuesday off the best start in the fledgling career of pitcher Keider Montero. The Tigers rookie had a season-high eight strikeouts and allowed one earned run on four hits in six innings pitched.

The loss dropped the Mariners to 59-55 on the season and decreased their lead in the American League West down to half a game over the Houston Astros.

“Coming in — I knew this series was going to have its challenges,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said in a postgame interview Tuesday. “Detroit has played a lot of close games this year and they got some young guys that are getting after it. … They put four groundball singles together in the fifth and that happens once in a while. … We were ahead in the count most of the night, didn’t walk anybody.”

Seattle starter Luis Castillo had a solid night and registered another quality start. He finished with nine strikeouts and no walks but allowed three earned runs and eight hits in six innings pitched.

The Tigers put their first run on the board courtesy of an RBI single from Parker Meadows in the top of the fourth.

In the fifth — Colt Keith added to the lead with a single (that was originally ruled an error by first baseman Luke Raley) and then Wenceel Perez brought in one more.

Raley made up for his miscue in the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run to center field. It was his second homer in four games. Raley’s long ball cut the Tigers’ lead down to 3-1.

Castillo was able to get through the last inning of his start without any further damage. Once Trent Thornton took the mound in the eighth — Meadows blasted a 415-foot solo home run to right field to give Detroit its fourth and final run of the game.

The Mariners had one last rally attempt in them in the bottom of the ninth. With two outs and Cade Marlowe on second — a fly ball hit by Jorge Polanco fell between Meadows (the center fielder) and Perez (the right fielder). That hit brought home Cade Marlowe for the eventual final of 4-2.

The Tigers made a pitching change and pinch-hitter Mitch Garver struck out to end the game.

“Mitch is going to continue to play,” Servais said. “He’ll play against left-handed pitching. His numbers against lefties are really good — It’s a well-above-league average OPS. He has had success against lefties so he’ll be in there (Wednesday). Didn’t go his way tonight. It’ll be a good challenge against him tomorrow and hopefully he has some good at-bats.”

Seattle will be back at 6:40 p.m. PT on Wednesday against American League Cy Young candidate Tarik Skubal. George Kirby will get the start for the Mariners.

MARINERS OFFENSE ON THE UPSWING: The Seattle Mariners are averaging almost two home runs a game and are 6-3 since getting swept by the Los Angeles Angels fans on July 24. CLICK HERE

MARINERS RELEASE PITCHING MATCHUPS AGAINST DETROIT: The Seattle Mariners are set to begin a three game series against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday. CLICK HERE

PHILLIES SHUT OUT MARINERS: The Philadelphia Phillies scored five runs in the eighth inning and starter Zack Wheeler had nine strikeouts in eight innings pitched in the series finale against the Seattle Mariners on Sunday. CLICK HERE

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