Detroit Tigers: Laying out an ideal trade season

Detroit Tigers fans could see the team make some trades as the season progresses. Here is a blueprint for the perfect trade season for general manager Al Avila and the rest of the team’s front office.

Detroit Tigers players entered Sunday with a 23-26 record, with five games separating them and the first-place Minnesota Twins.

While that may seem like a lot on paper, the Tigers are far from out of the playoff picture.

Stranger things have happened, but Minnesota doesn’t look like a postseason contender on paper. If the Tigers can stay close to Cleveland in the standings throughout the year, Detroit will be in excellent shape.

The Tigers are also just three games out of the wild card entering Sunday.

Regardless of Detroit’s record, the team could conceivably make some trades.

The team needs to save money, so dealing non-essential veterans on short-term deals makes sense.

In this scenario, the likes of Francisco Rodriguez, Anibal Sanchez and Jose Iglesias could be flipped. However, whether the Tigers are able to find trade partners remains to be seen.

Here is a look at a potentially ideal trade season for Detroit Tigers general manager Al Avila and the rest of the team’s front office staff.

These trades will keep Detroit in contention while helping to build for the future.

Trade J.D. Martinez for a king’s ransom and stay in contention, making the playoffs in the process

Last season, the New York Yankees traded away veterans Aroldis Chapman, Andrew Miller, Carlos Beltran and Ivan Nova.

All but Miller were scheduled to hit free agency, and the Yankees ended up staying in contention despite losing some veteran performers.

Similar to New York, the Tigers could benefit from dealing some impending free agents.

Dealing Rodriguez and Sanchez would certainly help the team’s financial outlook, but both have struggled mightily this season.

Elsewhere, Alex Avila is on too much of a tear at the plate to even consider moving him.

That leaves J.D. Martinez.

Hypothetically trading J.D. Martinez

The slugging outfielder has been excellent for the Detroit Tigers this season.

Martinez owns a 0.9 WAR, a .1.267 OPS, a .489 ISO, a 226 wRC+, a .499 wOBA and seven home runs in just 15 games played.

However, the 29-year-old will hit free agency after the season.

With Detroit seeking to lower the payroll over the long haul, it would make sense to move Martinez considering re-signing Martinez him would entail a significant financial commitment.

Because of his stellar play and strong track record (.909 OPS, 90 home runs in 428 games) with the Tigers, the team could receive a king’s ransom in return for the outfielder.

Back in 2015, Detroit was able to net Michael Fulmer, Daniel Norris, Matt Boyd and JaCoby Jones in trades for Yoenis Cespedes, David Price and Joakim Soria.

Considering the prospects that changed hands at last season’s deadline, the Tigers should be able to get multiple franchise building blocks for Martinez.

Last year, position players like Jonathan Lucroy, Carlos Beltran, Josh Reddick and Jay Bruce were dealt.

Martinez is more of an offensive threat than the quartet and arguably more of an impact acquisition than the four aforementioned players.

In this scenario, Detroit would receive a haul of prospects to help keep the team competitive long term.

Potentially replacing J.D.

To continue the hypothetical discussion, the Tigers would able to audition top prospects like Christin Stewart and Mike Gerber for potentially larger roles in 2018.

Both Stewart (.981 OPS and 13 home runs in 45 games) and Gerber (.869 OPS, 20 extra-base hits) are off to strong starts with Double-A Erie, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see either in the Majors in the near future.

Detroit can also utilize Jim Adduci, Mikie Mahtook and Alex Presley to help provide cover for the young duo should they struggle early.

Deal away non-essential veterans

These include Jose Iglesias and Francisco Rodriguez. The Detroit Tigers need to save money and both Iglesias and Rodriguez are replaceable.

At shortstop, Detroit can turn to Dixon Machado, who is every bit as dependable of a fielder as Iglesias is.

Elsewhere, the Tigers bullpen is thriving without Francisco Rodriguez.

With Justin Wilson closing and Shane Greene and Alex Wilson serving as setup options, Detroit doesn’t need Rodriguez to pitch late in games.

Dealing him to save money certainly makes sense as the likes of Blaine Hardy, Bruce Rondon, Joe Jimenez, Chad Bell, Arcenio Leon and Daniel Stumpf provide manager Brad Ausmus with more options.

The Tigers will also need to eventually make room for promising relief prospects Victor Alcantara and Jairo Labourt.

Both pitchers, who can light up the radar gun, should be in the Majors by 2018 if they continue producing in the minors.

Alcantara has pitched to a 2.08 ERA in Triple-A Toledo, with five strikeouts in 4.1 innings.

He recently made the jump to Toledo after posting a sparkling 1.96 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 23 frames for Double-A Erie.

Labourt recently was promoted himself, going from Advanced-A Lakeland to Double-A Erie.

The left-hander pitched to a 0.66 ERA with the Flying Tigers. He’s struck out 16 compared to just two walks in 11 innings for Erie so far. His ERA currently sits at 3.27 in Double-A.