Tigers Trade Doomed Their 1990s Dynasty

The 1987 deal that sent future Hall of Famer John Smoltz to the Braves ultimately cost Detroit a championship in the 90s.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 9:33am

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In 1987, the Detroit Tigers traded promising 20-year-old pitcher John Smoltz to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for veteran Doyle Alexander, helping the Tigers win their division that year but costing them a chance at a championship in the 1990s as Smoltz went on to become a Hall of Fame pitcher for the Braves.

Why it matters

The Tigers' decision to trade the young Smoltz for the aging Alexander was a short-term move that paid off in the 1987 season, but it prevented the Tigers from building a championship-caliber team in the 1990s around Smoltz, who became one of the best pitchers of his era with the Braves.

The details

In 1987, the Tigers were chasing the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East division race. In a move to bolster their pitching staff for the stretch run, the Tigers traded the 20-year-old Smoltz, who they had drafted out of Michigan State, to the Braves in exchange for 36-year-old Doyle Alexander. Alexander helped the Tigers win the division that year, going 9-0 down the stretch, but he retired after the 1989 season. Meanwhile, Smoltz went on to become an 8-time All-Star, win the 1996 NL Cy Young Award, and help the Braves win the 1995 World Series.

  • In 1984, the Detroit Tigers last won the World Series.
  • In 1985, the Tigers drafted John Smoltz out of Michigan State University.
  • In 1987, the Tigers traded the 20-year-old Smoltz to the Braves in exchange for veteran Doyle Alexander.
  • In 1995, Smoltz helped the Braves win the World Series.
  • In 2015, Smoltz was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

The players

John Smoltz

A pitcher who was drafted by the Detroit Tigers out of Michigan State University in 1985. He was traded to the Atlanta Braves in 1987 and went on to become an 8-time MLB All-Star, win the 1996 NL Cy Young Award, and help the Braves win the 1995 World Series. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015.

Doyle Alexander

A 36-year-old veteran pitcher who the Detroit Tigers acquired from the Atlanta Braves in 1987 in exchange for John Smoltz. Alexander helped the Tigers win their division that year but retired after the 1989 season.

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The takeaway

The Tigers' decision to trade the promising young pitcher John Smoltz for the aging veteran Doyle Alexander in 1987 helped them win their division that year, but it ultimately prevented them from building a championship-caliber team around Smoltz in the 1990s as he went on to become a Hall of Fame pitcher with the Braves.