Tigers rumors: Former No. 1 pick named trade candidate

What in the world is going on with the Detroit Tigers? The team that won the AL Central last season is now tied with the Kansas City Royals for last in the division with a 27-39 record. The Minnesota Twins even have a better record as they are 2.5 games ahead. All three of these teams have a negative run differential in the season and are 5-5 or worse in their last 10 games. It seems like the Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox will run away with this division quickly.

This is a shock coming from the Tigers. The Tarik Skubal injury and trade rumors are not ideal, but it is a part of the game. It’s gotten pretty bad this year, and it may not be fixable, even with Skubal coming back soon. Trade rumors are rising, and the Tigers may be sellers in a few weeks.

MLB.com named a former top pick of the MLB Draft as a trade candidate amid this slump by the Tigers.

“The Tigers expected Torkelson — the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 Draft — to be a cornerstone of the franchise for years to come, but the 26-year-old has alternated 31-homer seasons in 2023 and 2025 with unproductive campaigns, struggling to be the consistent force he has shown the ability to be. Torkelson has nine home runs in 65 games this season, though a five-game home run streak in late April accounted for more than half of his power production in 2026.”

“Torkelson is arbitration-eligible for two more years, though the Tigers have 21-year-old Josue Briceño (MLB Pipeline’s No. 64 overall prospect) working his way toward the Majors, giving Detroit a potential replacement for 2027. If the disappointing Tigers decide to reset at the Trade Deadline, Torkelson could be a risk-reward acquisition for a club seeking a power bat.”

Torkelson is going to be a great player in this league. He is at the moment, but still has his struggles. Baseball is a hard sport, and it isn’t easy to make the transition quickly as he did. He essentially started playing for the Tigers right after his playing days at Arizona State University. On the season, the first baseman is hitting .212 with nine home runs and 25 RBIs. His OPS is at .712, but he has struck out 80 times this season.

Casey Mize has also been named a potential trade chip this season.

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