Detroit Tigers: Trade fits and hypothetical targets in Milwaukee Brewers’ system

Detroit Tigers fans could conceivably see a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers in the coming week and change. Here’s a look at Milwaukee’s best trade chips.

Detroit Tigers fans have seen plenty of players names bandied about in trade rumors recently.

Those players, like Justin Wilson, Justin Verlander and Alex Avila, have been linked with a number of teams.

Wilson and Verlander have both been reportedly linked with the Milwaukee Brewers as of late. And now, it seems we can add another player to the list of Tigers who have brought up in rumors in relation to the National League Central franchise.

That player would be Ian Kinsler.

ESPN’s Buster Olney tweeted on Saturday morning:

"“The Brewers are digging into the possibility of acquiring Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler.”"

The need certainly makes sense on paper.

Starter Jonathan Villar is sitting on a -0.6 WAR, a .277 wOBA, a 63 wRC+ and a .287 on-base percentage for the Brew Crew.

Eric Sogard has been better defensively and more productive offensively. The utility man is batting .331 with a .924 OPS in 162 plate appearances.

However, Sogard’s success has been in part due to a .372 BABIP. His lifetime OPS entering 2017 was just .609.

In his last three Major League seasons with Oakland from 2013 to 2015, the 31-year-old registered just a .305 on-base percentage in 1140 plate appearances.

So while he may be turning a corner offensively, he could also be due for some serious regression in the second half of the season.

Slipping in the standings

Milwaukee is doing some serious regressing of their own at the moment.

What was a 5.5 game lead over the Chicago Cubs on July 15 has quickly evaporated. As of Sunday, Travis Shaw and friends are just a game ahead of the reigning world champions.

If the Detroit Tigers and Milwaukee Brewers make trade, these are the players Al Avila should go after.