Detroit Tigers: If Justin Upton opts out, here are some replacements

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BALTIMORE, MD – AUGUST 04: Justin Upton #8 of the Detroit Tigers celebrates with his teammates after hitting a grand slam in the eighth inning during a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 4, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /

Detroit Tigers fans could conceivably see Justin Upton depart via free agency. It remains to be seen what will happen, but if Upton leaves, here’s who could replace him in right field.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Justin Upton has been in the news a lot lately.

The 29-year-old is in the midst of a stellar campaign in his second season in the Motor City.

Entering Tuesday, Upton owns a 4.1 WAR, a 140 wRC+, a .264 ISO and a .383 wOBA in 483 plate appearance.

The former first-overall pick is also sporting a .282 average, a .366 on-base percentage, a .546 slugging percentage, an 11.2 walk percentage, 90 RBI, 76 runs scored, 34 doubles, 26 home runs and 10 stolen bases.

Upton has also added value defensively, with a 6.4 UZR/150 and a 4.4 UZR. His DRS of nine would be a career best if he maintains it throughout the end of the season.

Upton’s name has also been in the news considering he can potentially become a free agent after the season.

According to Spotrac, the outfielder can opt out of his deal following the season and enter the free agent market once again.

It remains to be seen what will happen obviously. Upton could opt out or he could opt into the final four years of his contract and stay in the Motor City.

That’s all down the road.

However, in the chance that the veteran does leave Detroit, here’s who could replace Upton in right field.

Mikie Mahtook

Mahtook has established himself in center field for the Detroit Tigers, but could make the shift to left field if JaCoby Jones takes over in center.

Jones struggled with strikeouts earlier in the season, resulting in a trip to Triple-A Toledo.

However, the young centerfielder has flashed better plate discipline in his return to Detroit.

If Jones can make contact more consistently, he has a chance to make a serious impact in the Majors.

The former Pittsburgh farmhand already looks up to the task of adding value on the base paths and in the field.

In limited playing time, Jones has notched a 0.2 BsR. He’s also sporting a 29.2 UZR/150 and a DRS of six.

Should Jones stay in center field, where his defense plays well, Mahtook could slide over to left field.

Christin Stewart

Christin Stewart may not make it to the Major Leagues this season, but a debut next season is certainly a possibility.

Likely to occupy spot in the middle of the Tigers lineup for the better part of the next decade, Stewart shows power from the left-handed side and draws a ton of walks.

Currently with Double-A Erie, the 23-year-old has turned in a 129 wRC+, a .373 wOBA, a .256 ISO, 26 home runs and 82 RBI in 494 plate appearances.

A corner outfielder by trade, Stewart has also logged a .258 batting average, a .340 on-base percentage and a .514 slugging percentage.

BALTIMORE, MD – AUGUST 04: Jim Adduci #37 of the Detroit Tigers hits a solo home run in the first inning during a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 4, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /

Mike Gerber

Stewart’s teammate in Double-A, Gerber has done nothing but produce in his minor league career.

The former 15^th-round pick is currently batting .294 with a .369 on-base percentage, a .472 slugging percentage and an .841 OPS in 350 plate appearances for Erie.

He’s also added 58 runs scored, 40 RBI, 20 doubles, 11 home runs, 10 stolen bases and a triple.

Similar to Stewart, Gerber seems more likely to debut sometime in 2018 than this season.

Still, the potential is there for the outfielder to be productive in the Majors.

Alex Presley and Jim Adduci

In the event that Upton opts out, the Detroit Tigers could opt to go for a combination of players to replace the All-Star.

The team could utilize Presley and Adduci in one or both of left and right field until Stewart and Gerber are ready to step in later in the season.

So far this season, both Presley and Adduci have proved to be dependable bench pieces in the Motor City.

Presley owns a 102 wRC+, a .744 OPS, eight extra-base hits and three stolen bases in 146 plate appearances.

Meanwhile, Adduci is sporting a 92 wRC+, a .720 OPS and nine extra-base hits in 93 plate appearances.

The Tigers could also deploy Tyler Collins, Jason Krizan or Steven Moya in left field until the top prospects are ready.

DETROIT, MI – AUGUST 20: Curtis Granderson #6 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a solo home run in the sixth inning against the Detroit Tigers during a MLB game at Comerica Park on August 20, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images) /

Free Agent Options

While it seems extremely unlikely that the Detroit Tigers hand out another contract similar to Upton’s in free agency this winter, adding an external option still remains a conceivable option.

Detroit could have some extra money to play with.

The team has already unloaded J.D. Martinez and Alex Avila’s expiring contracts this season, saving some cash in the process.

What’s more, the Chicago Cubs are now paying Justin Wilson’s salary, which should rise through arbitration considering the left-hander’s recent success.

The Tigers will also see prior commitments to Mike Pelfrey, Mark Lowe and Francisco Rodriguez come off the books, while Anibal Sanchez (per Spotrac) has a $16 million option for 2018 that can be bought out for $5 million.

Obviously if Upton departs, the amount of available cash increases significantly.

Detroit could use some of that money on a short term contract for a veteran free agent like Jon Jay, Jarrod Dyson, Melky Cabrera, Seth Smith or Andre Ethier.

Former Tigers outfielders Curtis Granderson, Cameron Maybin, Rajai Davis and Austin Jackson are also free agents who could be fits.

In Conclusion

Once again, it remains to be seen if Justin Upton opts out of his contract. It’s still exceedingly early. He could very well stay in the Motor City long-term—which would be fantastic for the Tigers.

Next: Predicting Detroit's September call ups

We won’t know more until the offseason, but if Upton leaves town, the Tigers will have a number of options in terms of replacing him.

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Detroit Tigers: It remains to be seen if Justin Upton opts out of his contract, if he does, here are some potential replacements