Detroit Tigers: Hypothetical, Creative Ways to Trade Anibal Sanchez, Mike Pelfrey

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Feb 27, 2017; Lakeland, FL, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Anibal Sanchez (19) throws a pitch during the third inning of a spring training baseball game against the Atlanta Braves at Joker Marchant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /

Detroit Tigers pitchers Anibal Sanchez and Mike Pelfrey struggled last season. With Daniel Norris and Matt Boyd replacing the duo in the rotation, Detroit could hypothetically trade the veterans.

Detroit Tigers baseball is officially back. Spring Training is getting into the swing of things, with games having already begun. So far, the club has played eight games against Major League opposition.

The Tigers have won just three of these games, but Spring Training is more about shaping the roster and finding the right group to carry for Opening Day.

Some Detroit players have already started to stand out.

Miguel Cabrera, unsurprisingly, seems to be in mid-season form already, with a .462 batting average already in just 13 at-bats.

Elsewhere, the likes of Dominic Ficociello, Ruben Alaniz and Arcenio Leon have all made impacts.

However, some Tigers players have posted numbers that aren’t exactly stats to write home about.

Anibal Sanchez was ambushed for four hits, three runs and a walk in just one inning.

Elsewhere, Mike Pelfrey has been tagged for six hits, three runs and three walks in two outings spanning 3.2 frames.

It’s obviously still exceedingly early in the grand scheme of things, and the veteran duo may turn things around.

However, Sanchez and Pelfrey’s early numbers are reminiscent of their respective stats last season.

In 153.1 innings, Sanchez turned in a 5.87 ERA and a 5.06 FIP. Meanwhile, Pelfrey posted a 5.15 FIP and a 1.731 WHIP over the span of 119 frames.

If the duo continue to struggle, the Tigers could be in a difficult spot where constructing the team’s roster is concerned.

Roster Spots

Justin Verlander, Michael Fulmer, Jordan Zimmermann, Daniel Norris, Matt Boyd, Buck Farmer, Chad Bell and Myles Jaye offer plenty of options in the rotation, while Warwick Saupold, Drew VerHagen and William Cuevas could also step into the rotation if need be.

In the bullpen, there may not be much room for a struggling Sanchez or Pelfrey.

Some combination of Blaine Hardy, Joe Jimenez, Mark Lowe, Kyle Ryan, Daniel Stumpf, VerHagen, Bell, Alcantara, Saupold and Farmer will join Francisco Rodriguez, Bruce Rondon, Justin Wilson and Alex Wilson in Detroit’s relief pitcher mix.

Considering both Sanchez and Pelfrey are long past being out of minor league options, a trade could make sense.

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