Tigers' DFA trade deadline pickup after disastrous stint with Detroit

The Detroit Tigers are making a major roster move after their rough series loss to the Atlanta Braves. With the Cleveland Guardians hot on the Tigers' tail in the AL Central, the Tigers are making a big decision.

At the trade deadline, the Tigers opted for quantity over quality in the starting rotation and in the bullpen. While Kyle Finnegan has worked out, the other moves haven't so far.

One of the more disappointing moves has been the acquisition of Charlie Morton. After nine starts with Detroit, as Evan Petzold of The Detroit Free Press reports, the team is designating the veteran starting pitcher for assignment.

Tigers cutting ties with Charlie Morton after disastrous trade

Morton was acquired from the Baltimore Orioles as a buzzer-beater trade at the 2025 MLB trade deadline. It initially looked like a solid move, as Morton put together a strong showing against the Philadelphia Phillies in his Tigers debut.

But after that outing, he struggled significantly. Morton finished his Tigers tenure, which spanned nine games, with a 7.09 ERA and a 2-3 record.

His most recent outing came against the Braves, where he allowed six runs in just 1.1 innings of work. For the tigers, amid a free-fall, they needed to decide Morton's next start.

As opposed to keeping him on the roster as a long reliever, the Tigers are cutting the veteran right-hander after a disastrous stint with the team, in which the team's potential record-setting collapse is at risk of occurring.

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Cleveland is making up serious ground, and after being down 15.5 games at one point in the AL Central, they're just one game back of Detroit for the division crown.

Morton's time in Detroit was shaky and ended in disaster, as he contributed to the Tigers' collapse late in the season. In each of his last five outings, the Tigers have lost. He's made it only as far as four innings in his four starts in September, something Detroit couldn't manage with its lackluster and taxed bullpen.

This move shows how the Tigers' trade deadline moves haven't worked out whatsoever. If Finnegan were paired with a better starter, like a Zac Gallen type, then the Tigers would've been in a much better place than they are now. 

Instead, the Tigers are cutting Morton after nine starts with the team, and are selecting Tanner Rainey from Triple-A Toledo to help bolster the pitching staff in Morton's absence.

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