As summer heats up, the Detroit Tigers find themselves in a precarious position. Through 42 games, they're tied for last place in the AL Central with a 19-23 record—far from the promising start many expected for the 2026 MLB season. Injuries have taken a heavy toll on the roster, and now whispers are growing louder that the Tigers might become sellers at the upcoming trade deadline.

According to USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale, Detroit is a team to watch as a potential seller. But here's the twist: they're only 1.5 games out of the final Wild Card spot and just three games behind the Cleveland Guardians in the division. There's still plenty of time to turn things around, but the label alone signals trouble.

The biggest name on everyone's mind is starting pitcher Tarik Skubal. Fresh off elbow surgery to remove a loose body, he's expected to miss one to two months—and he's set to hit free agency after this season. If the Tigers fall out of contention, trading the back-to-back Cy Young Award winner would make sense to maximize his value. Otherwise, they risk losing him for just a draft pick.

Other key players like Jack Flaherty and Gleyber Torres are also approaching free agency, adding to the urgency. It's still early in the 2026 season, but Detroit needs to change course fast. The goal should be buying, not selling.

Injuries have been brutal, especially to the pitching staff. Only Flaherty and Framber Valdez remain from the original five starters. Meanwhile, Javier Baez and Kerry Carpenter are among the hitters sidelined, not to mention Parker Meadows recovering from a broken arm. The message is clear: the Tigers need to get healthy and get hot—or risk watching a promising season slip away.