Detroit Tigers: Best ways to handle the trade deadline

Even in midst of a mediocre season 2017, the Detroit Tigers are not too far out of leading the weak American League Central division. Here’s how they should handle the trade deadline.

Detroit Tigers management has reportedly made it clear though, mediocre won’t cut it. They are willing to sell, sell, sell if things are not looking up soon.

Back in late May, Fox Sports’ Jon Morosi tweeted about the Tigers. Morosi tweeted the following:

“If #Tigers are still under .500 by end of June, sources say they’ll revert to stance from November: All veterans will be available in trade.”

Personally I have one message for the front office: Please do it.

There are three true routes to go here. Stay dormant, trade to win now, or trade to win later.

Staying dormant would just be frustrating.  Frankly barring an unseen hero, this is not a team playing like they are ready for a playoff push.

This leaves the trading option. Put simply, trading to win now would be foolish. Sure, the team can take advantage of the lackluster division and win it this year. Probably next year too.

But why?

Look the AL Central is down this year, but this is a calm before the storm. Both the White Sox and Twins have a ton of young talent.

In fact, the White Sox farm system is probably the best in baseball. They have number one prospect Yoan Moncada leading the pack. And top pitching prospects Lucas Giolito and Michael Kopech aren’t exactly slouches either.

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Not to mention the young gun Miguel Sano in Minnesota who is flashing a ton of power.  Former first-rounder Byron Buxton is getting better every day too.

This means that trading to win now would work short term, but then the Detroit Tigers would not be competitive for awhile after that.

With the young starting pitching showing promise, it is time to trade for young hitting.

If the Tigers can get prospects to build another core with, there will be another long run of competitive play.

The aging core right now of Justin Verlander, Miguel Cabrera, Ian Kinsler, J.D. Martinez and company is doing well still. But time catches up with every player eventually.

Per MLB.com, 19 of the team’s top 30 prospects according are pitchers.  They could use some more bats for the future.  Especially on the infield.

What trading for the future will do that is even more helpful is clear up cap space.

Over the next couple years there are going to be some very strong free agent classes. And the youth movement in the league right now means some pretty young players.

The time is now to get the prospects that will be able to compete with other teams in the future.  If not they could potentially fall to the bottom of the American League barrel.

Next: Chad Bell recalled, Arcenio Leon optioned

At some point Detroit is going to need a youth movement. So why not start it now?