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Detroit Tigers: Five hypothetical trade candidates

By Ben Rosener

DETROIT, MI - JULY 4: Justin Wilson #38 of the Detroit Tigers pitches against the San Francisco Giants during the ninth inning at Comerica Park on July 4, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. Wilson recorded his ninth save in the Tigers 5-3 win. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - JULY 4: Justin Wilson #38 of the Detroit Tigers pitches against the San Francisco Giants during the ninth inning at Comerica Park on July 4, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. Wilson recorded his ninth save in the Tigers 5-3 win. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) /
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Detroit Tigers
SEATTLE, WA – JUNE 19: Shortstop Jose Iglesias #1 of the Detroit Tigers turns the double play after forcing out Guillermo Heredia #5 of the Seattle Mariners at second base on a ball hit by Nelson Cruz #23 of the Seattle Mariners during the seventh inning of a game at Safeco Field on June 19, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. The Mariners won the game 6-2. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images) /

Jose Iglesias

Age: 27
Position: Shortstop
2017 contract, per Spotrac: $4.1 million
2017 stat of note: 0.8 WAR

The Detroit Tigers did well to acquire Jose Iglesias back in 2013. The shortstop finished second in Rookie of the Year voting that year, and made the All-Star team in 2015.

Twice he’s finished a season with a batting average of .300 or above as well as an OPS north of .700.

Iglesias has done all that with some excellent defense, routinely posting positive numbers where metrics like DRS and UZR/150 are concerned.

However, the shortstop will hit free agency following next season, is getting expensive and is struggling at the plate.

The former Red Sox player is currently posting career lows in wRC+ (60), wOBA (.265), slugging percentage (.337), on-base percentage (.273) and batting average (.239).

Of course, some of this may be due to a .273 BABIP, but Iglesias is still struggling. He’s also seen his strikeout clip rise, going from 9.7% last season—the second-lowest in baseball—to 13.8% this year.

Detroit can trade Iglesias to a shortstop-needy team like the San Diego Padres or Arizona Diamondbacks, and roll with Dixon Machado at the position.

Machado has been on a tear at the plate as of late, and is every bit as a reliable defender as Iglesias.

All told, Machado is batting .410 with a .974 OPS, six RBI, five runs scored, a double, a triple and a home run in his last 39 plate appearances, which have come over the course of 17 games.

Detroit is 11-6 over that span.

The younger shortstop has a 103 wRC+ in the last month.

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