DETROIT — The shadow of the trade deadline has hovered over every game and every conversation involving the Detroit Tigers for more than a month already. They are the team at the center of everything. They have the most coveted pitcher in the game in Tarik Skubal and a host of other players (Casey Mize, Gleyber Torres, Jack Flaherty and more) who could be in demand.Of course, they are also making progress in correcting the errant path of their season. They have the American League’s best record since June 1. They just won a series against the Athletics. At long last, they are pitching, hitting and playing like the team they were supposed to be. And yet, they are still well below .500, still scratching and clawing for every victory they can get.This all creates a fascinating dynamic. Are we sure the Tigers are sellers? Might threading the needle be a more prudent path? Or is there a world where the Tigers throw caution to the wind and become real buyers?What happens on the field in the next few weeks should determine all of that. But for now, there’s no harm in a little more (hopefully educated) speculation.Questions have been edited for clarity.What Verlander's retirement announcement says about him as a playerCody StavenhagenIs there any chance the Tigers re-sign Mize? Has he indicated that he would like to stay? If he wants to leave, what might the return be if he is dealt before the deadline? — Tom G.Mize has become a really interesting case. He is pitching the best baseball of his career, even in a season where he has had two stints on the injured list. I do think Mize could be worth trying to retain — or perhaps re-sign, even if the Tigers do end up trading him. Pitching is always in demand at the deadline, and if Mize keeps throwing the way he is now, I think the Tigers could get a top-150 prospect for him. The knock here would be that pitching models don’t love him, for whatever reason. The Tigers got Thayron Liranzo and Trey Sweeney for Flaherty at the deadline two years ago. Given the other starters on the market, I think Mize would net less than that. But maybe not a whole lot less?Now, if I were Mize or his agents, I would have no interest in extension talks until after the season. Mize has a chance to keep building his body of work and really up his value. Early in the year, I wondered if he could get three years and $45 million, but that may be too low. Mize is already worth 2.3 fWAR. If he exceeds 3 WAR, he could easily get up to $25 million AAV as a free agent. The length of the deal will be more fascinating given his injury history.Right now, I wonder if Mize is actually pitching so well that he might exceed what the Tigers would be willing to pay to keep him.If the Tigers decide to buy at the deadline, two of the biggest holes are center field and the bullpen. Who are some names that the Tigers could be in on? — Andy G.There’s so much riding on every game right now. The Tigers entered Thursday night’s game against the A’s with their playoff odds at 33 percent, rising with every win. As it stands, they are still more likely to sell than buy. Let’s be clear on that.But imagine if they can take two of three from the Philadelphia Phillies series starting Friday, then win a series against the lowly Los Angeles Angels after the All-Star Break. They could conceivably be within two or three games of a playoff spot. They play in a weak AL and an even weaker Central division. If they can stay hot for just a bit longer, buying could become a real conversation.The bullpen would be the logical place to upgrade, and practically every reliever available could be on the docket. Although I doubt president of baseball operations Scott Harris would pay up for Aroldis Chapman, I’d start with swing-and-miss guys who could add real value. Maybe buy low on Bryan Abreu. Maybe target guys in the tier of Garrett Whitlock and Kirby Yates, or try to unlock something with Juan Mejia.As for center field, I’m not sure the Tigers would be willing to part with resources to upgrade there. There’s still hope that both Javier Báez and maybe Parker Meadows could return this season. An eventual Max Clark debut isn’t out of the question. James Outman’s bat is still a concern, but he’s already helped the roster function better.Any chance the Tigers trade Skubal, which in my opinion is the right option for the organization, and still add at the deadline? Maybe a bullpen arm or two and a right-handed bat. — Tyler G.There’s logic behind this course of action. You trade your ace for a return that should feature multiple players who could be legitimate big-league pieces. But you keep most of your team intact and keep pushing for the 2026 playoffs. I get it … sort of.Personally, I’m more in favor of being decisive. You either believe in this team or you don’t. If you wanted to trade Skubal and reconfigure the roster for the future, this past offseason would have been the perfect time. Instead, the Tigers chose to keep Skubal and go for it. Why exactly should that calculus change now?A case for the Cubs to pursue Tarik SkubalEno Sarris and Derek VanRiperDespite a miserable first half, the Tigers have the AL’s best record since the start of June. Their rotation is firing on all cylinders. Particularly if Troy Melton keeps pitching like a frontline starter, are we sure the Tigers couldn’t be a real threat in the AL? If the Tigers can draw within real striking distance of a playoff spot, wouldn’t you want to keep the AL’s most decorated, in-his-prime pitcher and stay true to your original mission? That’s how I view it.Now, if the playoff odds start dropping and contention feels like a real long shot, the move is clear. Then you have to trade Skubal. And if you’re going to trade him … why not just clean house and gear up in hopes of avoiding a May meltdown next year?Threading the needle is safe. Safe decisions don’t often help you raise banners, whether now or in the future.Is this Scott Harris’ nightmare? Being unlikely to make the playoffs but staying just close enough that selling is not an obvious choice? — Craig W.I’m not sure how Harris feels. But if it were me, yes! I would be terrified. Part of the rationale in trading Skubal while skirting a full-on fire sale would be to mitigate the chance of disaster. If the Tigers hold on to Skubal but don’t make the playoffs, Harris might never live it down. It would be a horrible, franchise-altering mistake. That’s why being decisive (but not delusional) is the hard route.What would “threading the needle” look like for Tigers? Is there a team out there that could give the Tigers an MLB-ready arm/bat to help down the stretch as well as elite prospects? Or maybe just some controllable players to help win now and in the future? — Todd B.If you want MLB-ready prospects, I’d go straight to the Los Angeles Dodgers. There’s growing chatter that perhaps the return for Skubal won’t be as massive as some have predicted — that maybe the Dodgers will simply decide they don’t even need Skubal. I’m not quite sold on that line of thinking.Part of the reasoning behind trading for Skubal is that you won’t have to face Skubal in the playoffs. Imagine a Milwaukee Brewers rotation with Jacob Misiorowski, Skubal and Kyle Harrison. That’s the kind of threat that could take down a Dodgers dynasty.There are players like right-hander River Ryan who could help the Tigers now. Outfielders like Zyhir Hope and Mike Sirota are still in Double A but might not be too far off.Regardless of how the Tigers do in July, any realistic chance Harris would ever do more than nibble around the edges of the trade deadline? If he is not going to aim for more than middle-level targets or if he is not going to get a major-league-ready, good player now in a Skubal trade, we have to assume he is OK with a ceiling of getting to the AL Division Series again. — Roderick K.I think buying and selling create different discussions here. Last season probably taught us all we need to know about how Harris views buying at the deadline. There are front offices across baseball that roll their eyes at the constant deadline coverage. Some modern executives think the actual impact of the deadline is much less than the common fan thinks. And a lot of that is based on data and history. There are only so few moves each year that really have a true impact. The problem is, sometimes those select few moves can be the difference between winning a ring and going home early. Think Chapman in 2016, Justin Verlander in 2017 or Jordan Montgomery in 2023.I doubt the Tigers would turn into aggressive buyers, going after some big-name bat. Heck, their farm system is already looking thinner than they likely hoped entering this season.But when it comes to selling a big name like Skubal, Harris holds the leverage. Especially given the fact that Skubal is eligible for a qualifying offer and thus a potential draft pick if he leaves as a free agent, Harris isn’t going to trade him for nothing.