The rumor mill for the Tigers has been quiet since they acquired Anibal Sanchez and Omar Infante from the Marlins last week. While tweaks here and there could be made, the only other real upgrade possibilities exist in the outfield. While Brennan Boesch has been playing a bit better and Andy Dirks will return (at some point), the Tigers outfield lacks any serious “thump” outside of leadoff hitter Austin Jackson. While there are rumors and guesses being thrown out on Twitter and message boards, the only rumor worthy of being noted at MLB Trade Rumors is that the Tigers could be looking at the Mets Scott Hairston. Forgive me if I don’t get excited about a guy with an on-base percentage that is right at .300.
Unless something major pops up in the next 24+ hours, the Tigers will be done making trades. The past few years, they have been active using the waiver wire in August, so we might see action there. That would likely require adding some more payroll though. With the budget situation as it is, I can only imagine that happening if the Tigers continue to play well and make a push towards the playoffs or an injury of significance occurs (The former over the latter…if I have any say).
Dave Dombrowksi told Jason Beck that the Tigers were “set at this point“. Granted, given that this is Dombrowksi we are talking about, he could have literally meant “at this point” and 2 minutes later, with it not being “this point” any longer, he was once again looking at trade possibilities. It will be interesting to see what rumors pop up in the next 24 hours. I have to think, with Dirks on the road to recovery, the real question will surround the possible impact of the forgotten Tiger, Victor Martinez. If he can come back and contribute down the stretch it would be (offensively speaking) just as big as any name I have seen thrown around.