Tigers called out by ESPN analyst for lackluster trade deadline

The Detroit Tigers were sitting atop the American League heading into the trade deadline, and had a chance to bolster their already solid World Series odds by improving the roster further.

Whether it was a high-leverage closer, a new third baseman in the form of Eugenio Suarez, or even another starting pitcher, the Tigers were linked to various different stars who could've made the roster better.

But, they didn't swing any of those deals; instead, they settled for more trades rather than putting all their eggs in one basket and landing a superstar.

Amid such a decision, when asked whether the Tigers and the Chicago Cubs, who had similar trade deadlines, did enough to still be feared in the playoffs, ESPN analyst Jesse Rogers didn't hold back his criticism of the Tigers and the Cubs.

"Both teams did work to help them get to the playoffs, but not necessarily win them," Rogers answered. "That's where trading for those top closers or setup men would have come into play. The regular season is about starting pitcher. October is about bullpens."

Rogers continued, this time, focusing on the Tigers' moves in the bullpen specifically. "Detroit recognized the need but chose quantity over quality (though Kyle Finnegan should help."

Fellow ESPN analyst Bradford Doolittle also answered the same question, and said, "I'm not big on Rafael Montero or Finnegan."

MORE: Tigers lost out to Mets on trade for Cardinals' Ryan Helsley

The Tigers' trade deadline saw Scott Harris swing multiple deals, all for pitching. A few days before the deadline, Detroit and the Minnesota Twins agreed to a deal that brought Chris Paddack and Randy Dobnak to Detroit.

On deadline day, the Tigers added starting pitcher Charlie Morton from the Baltimore Orioles, and relievers Paul Seawald of the Cleveland Guardians, Rafael Montero of the Atlanta Braves, Kyle Finnegan of the Washington Nationals, and Codi Heuer of the Texas Rangers.

All of the Tigers' moves revolved around improving the bullpen and the starting rotation. But, as Rogers mentioned, they didn't take a big swing for one of the top names.

Mason Miller, David Bednar, Ryan Helsley, Camilo Doval, and Jhoan Duran were all dealt at the deadline. The Tigers targeted the relievers a tier below the top targets, and in doing so, didn't improve the bullpen enough in the eyes of Rogers and Doolittle.

While they added a lot at the deadline, those moves were all bottom of the bullpen, or back end of the rotation moves. They didn't make any needle-moving deals, and overall, had a lackluster trade deadline.

Detroit is one of the top teams in the AL, but their trade deadline moves didn't make any team more fearful of the potential in Detroit. They made moves, but as Rogers and Doolittle said, it's not enough to increase the Tigers' World Series odds.

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