Jack Flaherty and Kerry Carpenter each went to the IL over the last week, meaning the Detroit Tigers’ injuries are now mounting up. The team already had a major decision to make with Tarik Skubal, but these latest injury woes might decide for Detroit. With under a week before the trade deadline, they are struggling through another three-game losing streak, their payroll is rubbing up against the luxury tax threshold, and their playoff hopes are hanging on by a thread. This unwelcome news may force the team to make a Skubal trade.
Kerry Carpenter & Jack Flaherty: Detroit Tigers’ Injuries May Derail Team’s Deadline Plans
Before this latest three-game skid, the Tigers had played their way to one of the best records in baseball since June 1. After a six-win May put the team into a major hole, their fine play through the early summer restored hope of one last playoff push with Skubal still with the team. Tough one-run losses in back-to-back games against the Kansas City Royals meant a split series against one of the American League’s worst teams. Monday’s defeat kicked off a crucial three-game set against the Baltimore Orioles, one of a few teams the Tigers would have to surpass to make the playoffs.
The Tigers’ injuries make this challenge seem even more insurmountable than it did just a few weeks ago. While neither Carpenter nor Flaherty has had a terrific season, each was set to be crucial for the team’s playoff push. The outfielder has been one of the Tigers’ best left-handed hitters since he broke onto the team in 2022. Flaherty, meanwhile, has been one of their best starting pitchers over the last three seasons and has been especially good against playoff-caliber teams in that stretch. Losing both within a week puts further strain on Detroit’s depth players.
The starting rotation will be the least affected, at least for now. Between Skubal, Framber Valdez, Keider Montero, Troy Melton, and Casey Mize, the team still has five starters without Flaherty. That will likely change over the next week as Skubal is expected to depart. With the team set to exceed the luxury tax threshold with current payroll, Detroit’s compensatory pick on a qualifying offer would drop from the first round supplemental to after the fourth round. To avoid that and keep Skubal, the team will have to shed other large contracts, such as Flaherty, or the also-injured Justin Verlander.
The Tigers today placed OF Kerry Carpenter on the 10-day injured list with left foot plantar fasciitis. C Eduardo Valencia has been recalled from Triple-A Toledo.
— Tigers PR (@DetroitTigersPR) July 27, 2026
Carpenter’s loss will be more acutely felt in the outfield. Javier Baez is set to return to the team in the next week, so that would have meant he would slot into center field alongside Riley Greene and Carpenter. However, with this latest setback, one of Matt Vierling or James Outman will continue as an everyday outfielder. Both have negative WAR scores in 2026. Losing Carpenter for a month means the Tigers’ anemic offense will continue to struggle.
Tigers’ Injuries May Force Skubal Trade
Due to the luxury tax implications and difficulty in moving other large contracts, the writing may be on the wall for Skubal’s time in Detroit. While they may be able to trade away other useful players to build for 2027, it would be very difficult to get away from the luxury tax threshold and therefore preserve the potential compensatory draft pick. Would a playoff-bound team like the Los Angeles Dodgers be willing to give up more than the equivalent of a top-40 pick in the draft? That has yet to be seen.
While trading away the star player doesn’t always future-proof a team, the Tigers’ injuries situation may make a Skubal trade inevitable. There is a small silver lining there that the team would likely promote top prospects such as Max Clark and Max Anderson to the big team. Each may be ready to make an impact at the MLB level in 2027.
Main Photo Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
