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How Detroit Tigers’ Scott Harris won big at the 2024 trade deadline.
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How Detroit Tigers’ Scott Harris won big at the 2024 trade deadline.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers were the winning team at the trade deadline.

The Dodgers signed St. Louis as a buyer. Acquired Tommy Edman from the St. Louis Cardinals, Michael Kopech from the Chicago White Sox and Jack Flaherty from the Chicago White Sox. Detroit Tigers. With these additions, the Dodgers advanced to the World Series and took a 3-0 lead over the New York Yankees.

But the Dodgers weren’t the only team to win at the July 30 trade deadline of the 2024 season.

The Tigers also won.

president of baseball operations Scott Harris – Who are the tigers Hired in September 2022 – failed first trade datebut he was successful beyond expectations at the second trade deadline. Not only did Harris win seven leads across four professions, he also post trade deadline pitch strategy This took the Tigers to the postseason for the first time since 2014.

Tigers worked as salesmen, but they quickly became winners.

This is rare.

“Overall, I believe it’s our job to come up with strategies that suit our personnel, so we have to play different every year because our team is going to be different every year, I think,” Harris said on Oct. 14 after the Tigers’ loss to the Cleveland Guardians in the ALDS. “The strategy suits the pitching staff we have, especially in the second half.”

Here are the trades: Flaherty to Dodgers catcher/first baseman Thayron Liranzo and shortstop Trey Sweeney.Andrew Chafin to Texas Rangers right-hander Joseph Montalvo and right-handed reliever Chase LeeCarson Kelly transferred to Rangers right-handed reliever Tyler Owens and catcher Liam Hicksand Mark Canha to the San Francisco Giants. right-handed reliever Eric Silva.

Liranzo has highest potential One of seven possibilities.

After selling at the trade deadline, it would be easy for the Tigers to tank for the remaining two months of the season after the trade deadline. Up to two starters, they could introduce Brant Hurter, Bryan Sammons and Ty Madden as traditional starters as used at Triple-A Toledo.

But Harris wanted to win as many games as possible.

So he created opener bulk comforting sales pitch strategyHe uses traditional relievers as openers and underperforming Triple-A starters as bulk relievers.

The reason for the strategy? To help the Tigers in terms of competition and development.

In terms of competition, the Tigers are the most An unpredictable team in baseball due to pitching chaos.

Developmentally, the Tigers introduced young starters to the big leagues more quickly.

Openers: Beau Brieske, Tyler Holton, Alex Faedo and Brenan Hanifee. Bulk relievers: Hurter, Sammons, Madden and Kenta Maeda. Meanwhile, manager AJ Hinch worked his magic by putting all of these pitchers in the best situations to get out and ultimately win games.

“I love how well the players have embraced their roles and performed and how well he has performed off the bench,” Harris said, referring to Hinch. “He seemed to bring in the right pitcher every time. It’s nice to have that tool in our tool belt, if we get to a point where we have a pitching staff that demands that we follow that strategy of the future.”

As for results, the Tigers ranked first in MLB with a 2.91 ERA from the July 30 trade deadline through the September 29 season finale. (The next best pitching team, the Tampa Bay Rays, had a 3.21 ERA in the same time period.) The Tigers won 34 of 53 games after the trade deadline; this includes a 12-11 record in 23 games when the opener was used. strategy.

Going forward, the opening aggregate strategy will not continue in the same way.

The Tigers will use their traditional five-man starting rotation for the 2025 season, which will include ace Tarik Skubal, high-position right winger Reese Olson and top prospect Jackson Jobe.

“I think we will start adding players to this team with a clear strategy in mind,” Harris said. “I don’t know if we’ll be able to do that as regularly as we did over a long period of time because we have some really interesting starting candidates, including Jackson, who have a chance to be a traditional starter for us.”

The Tigers joined the Dodgers as winners at the trade deadline because Harris knew when to fold his cards and trade veteran players for expiring contracts in exchange for hopes of strengthening the farm system, all while employing an unorthodox pitching strategy to stay competitive on the field.

Harris’ plan took the Tigers to the playoffs.

“It’s good to know that non-traditional strategies can work here and that our players understand the logic behind these strategies and why they are effective,” Harris said.

Contact Evan Petzold at: [email protected] or follow him @EvanPetzold.

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