It's a rare thing to happen but a team suddenly started winning a lot after trading away one of their best players, but that's what happened with the Detroit Tigers.
In MLB, at the trade deadline (July 30), what usually happens is that teams who don't think they have any chance of making the postseason trade away players that are likely to become free agents anyways. This is the correct strategy because at least they get something back instead of losing the player at the end of the season for nothing and if a team is not going to make the playoffs anyways then what's the point of keeping this good player just till the end of the season.
Well the unexpected happened and the Detroit Tigers suddenly started winning a lot to the point now where they would be in the postseason if the season ended right now. It doesn't end right now but there are only around 6 games left in the season.
Around August 11th, the Detroit Tigers got ridiculously hot and suddenly became one of the best teams in baseball. They've won 27 games with only 11 losses from Aug 11 to now.
What's sad is they already traded away an elite pitcher like Flaherty to the Dodgers. The Tigers already have one of the best pitchers in baseball, Tarik Skubal, so imagine if they didn't trade away Flaherty. Skubal and Flaherty would be an imposing rotation in the postseason.
Of course all this wondering of "what if" Flaherty didn't get traded only becomes funny if the Tigers make the postseason. They currently hold the last Wild Card berth in the American League with 6 games left in the season to play.
