DETROIT ~ Detroit Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris said Monday that the organization’s decision to trade Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize before the MLB trade deadline was driven by the club’s long-term outlook, while insisting the team has not abandoned its hopes of reaching the postseason in 2026.
Speaking with reporters during a post-deadline Zoom call, Harris acknowledged the difficulty of moving two key contributors from a team that remains within striking distance of a Wild Card berth. He said the front office weighed both the present and the future before deciding to pursue deals that brought several highly regarded prospects into the organization.
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August 3, 2026 ~ After a trade deadline that sent Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize out of Detroit, Tigers President Scott Harris explains why the organization chose to prioritize long-term value while remaining in the postseason hunt. Watch as Harris discusses the return package, the impact of injuries, the club’s playoff outlook, and why he insists the Tigers are “not raising the white flag” on 2026.
(CONTINUED) “I try to run this organization with one eye firmly planted on the present and one eye firmly fixed on the future,” Harris said. “This deadline was a very difficult decision point.”
Harris said the Tigers determined they had not done enough through the season’s first 112 games to justify sacrificing significant future assets for a playoff push. At the same time, he argued it would have been difficult to pass on the prospect packages offered for Skubal and Mize.
“I hate selling with every fiber in my body,” Harris said. “I absolutely hate it. I don’t want to be in a position where we are selling in July. But I think in the situation that we found ourselves in this July, I thought it would be irresponsible not to do it.”
Among the prospects acquired, Harris highlighted outfielder Zyhir Hope and pitcher River Ryan as players who could have a significant impact on the organization’s future. He said the Tigers entered the trade market with a clear understanding of the return they wanted and believes the club maximized Skubal’s value. “I’m very confident that we absolutely maximized the return that we could get for Tarik Skubal,” Harris said.
Despite dealing two prominent players, Harris rejected the notion that Detroit is giving up on 2026. The Tigers entered the week 2½ games out of a playoff spot, and Harris pointed to recent improvements in the team’s defense, offense, and young pitching while noting the club’s late-season surge in 2024.
“This season is not over,” Harris said. “We’re not raising the white flag, and we’re not giving up on this season.”
Harris also cited injuries as a major challenge, noting that 35 Tigers players landed on the injured list before the trade deadline. While he stopped short of blaming injuries for the club’s position in the standings, Harris said he bears responsibility for building enough depth to withstand those losses.
“I take responsibility for all of it,” Harris said. “I should have built more depth. I should have found ways to keep players healthier.”
He added that the organization explored a contract extension with Skubal, but it became clear early in the process that the former Cy Young winner planned to test free agency. That reality helped shape Detroit’s decision-making as the deadline approached.
