Despite an excellent first-half record, the Detroit Tigers have been in quite a rut since the All-Star break. In their first six games coming out of the break,

What the Tigers most want ahead of next week’s trade deadline is a swap that would bring to Detroit its surging team from the season’s first three months. This sudden summer swoon (nine losses in 10 games ahead of Thursday’s series opener against the Blue Jays) has changed moods if not needs for a first-place Tigers club that a couple of weeks ago was coasting toward October’s playoffs.

Toronto arrives in Motown with a better record than the Tigers following a series win over the Yankees. Vlad Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette each drove in a pair of runs and the Jays took advantage of four New York errors to win their second in the three-game series, 8-4.