DETROIT -- Mike Fiers has a World Series ring for his part in the Houston Astros' 2017 championship season even though he never threw a pitch in the postseason last year.

He might get another chance in 2018.

Fiers pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings on Saturday night against the best team in baseball. The Boston Red Sox just happen to be one of the teams who might be interested in acquiring him in the nine days remaining before the July 31 trade deadline.

Fiers, 33, is pitching well at the right time. In his last 10 starts, he's posted a 2.47 ERA in 62 innings, striking out 50 and walking 14. He's gone at least six innings in five consecutive starts, a stretch that coincided with the departure of former pitching coach Chris Bosio, who was more cautious about pitch counts.

Of course, Fiers was pitching quite well last July for the Astros, also. But he had two awful starts that occurred during the same week in which Houston unexpectedly acquired Justin Verlander.

Verlander entered the rotation and Fiers was sent to the bullpen, where he languished for the rest of September. When the playoffs started, the Astros had no use for him on the postseason roster, opting to keep Francisco Liriano instead because he was a left-hander.

(In the strange baseball circle of life, Fiers and Liriano reunited in the Tigers' rotation this year and picked up their World Series rings together last week during the club's visit to Houston. The Tigers are now actively trying to deal them both.)

Fiers will probably be easier to deal than Liriano because he's healthy and pitching well.

"I have to start pitching bad? Is that what you're trying to say?" Fiers joked after being asked how he felt about every good start boosting his likelihood of being traded.

"Pitching in the playoffs, pitching in a World Series, I think that's everyone's goal in baseball. It's always more fun when you win and you're on a team that's fighting for that. But like I've said, I love it here (in Detroit). It's my first year here, and these guys are great. I love playing with them and competing with them."

Despite Fiers' strong recent performance, the Tigers will probably have limited expectations for what they can get in return.

Fiers had extra zing on his fastball Saturday night -- he joked that it was because he was upset about not getting to face longtime friend and college teammate J.D. Martinez -- but he's still a pitcher who lives at 89 or 90 mph.

That means any teams that acquires him will be looking at him more as a starter rather than someone who could be shifted to the bullpen for the playoffs.

Fiers might be a nice No. 4 or 5 guy on some top-tier teams. But in the playoffs, when extra starters are sent to the bullpen or left at home, he might be less valuable.

Take the Red Sox, for example, who might consider Fiers as helpful starting depth behind Chris Sale, Rick Porcello, David Price and Eduardo Rodriguez/Drew Pomeranz. (Rodriguez is on the DL; Pomeranz is about to be activated, but he's struggled this year).

But once the regular season is over, it's unclear where Fiers would fit on the Red Sox playoff roster. How much would the Red Sox -- or a similar team -- be willing to pay for a couple months of starting insurance?

Fiers will be under team control in 2019 -- for the Tigers or whoever acquires him -- but he'll make decent money in his final year of arbitration, so he won't be a bargain. Even so, that extra year could be an added bonus for teams who'd like to pencil in another reliable starter for next year's rotation.

It could also be a reason for the Tigers to hold onto to Fiers if there are no serious offers.

But it's a better bet that Fiers is dealt? Why? The Tigers signed him with the idea that he could be flipped at the deadline? He's exceeded their highest expectations in 2018. His value will never be higher. If he can't be traded now, then when?