Detroit Tigers: Breaking down the Justin Upton trade

Detroit Tigers return

Right off the bat (pun!), the Tigers add a quality pitching prospect in Grayson Long.

After a trade deadline that saw the team deal away outfielder J.D. Martinez, relief pitcher Justin Wilson and catcher Alex Avila for a haul of infielders, the team nabs another pitching prospect in Long.

Detroit’s farm system isn’t short on top-level pitching prospects with Matt Manning, Alex Faedo, Kyle Funkhouser, Beau Burrows and Gregory Soto all showing promising upside.

However of the quintet, only Burrows has reached Double-A, with Faedo yet to make his professional debut.

Long gives the Tigers a pitching prospect who is closer to contributing in the Majors.

What’s more, he’s found plenty of success since making the move to Double-A with Anaheim’s Double-A Affiliate in Mobile.

A third-round pick in 2015, the 23-year-old has pitched to a 2.69 ERA, a 1.167 WHIP and 8.4 strikeouts and 2.8 walks per nine innings.

He’s thrown 133.2 frames this season.

The Athletic Detroit’s Emily Waldon provided a scouting report on Long in a tweet on Wednesday. Waldon tweeted:

“Grayson Long reportedly a 3-pitch guy (FB, SL, Change). FB sits low-90’s w/ ability to tap 95 MPH. SL/CH average to slightly above.”

Outside of 25-year-old Toledo hurlers Artie Lewicki and Myles Jaye, the Tigers don’t really have any reinforcements coming via starting pitching prospects in the near future.

Beau Burrows is currently with Double-A Erie, but has made just 14 starts for the SeaWolves at the level.

He’s been up and down so far, and may require further seasoning in Erie before making the move to Toledo and or the Majors.

Money

Reportedly, the Detroit Tigers are saving some significant cash in the deal.

According to Spotrac, the former first-overall pick is making $22.125 million this season. Most of the money still owed to Upton this year may be coming off the books.

USA Today’s Bob Nightengale tweeted the following about the reported deal:

“The #Angels are picking up majority of Upton’s $22.5 million salary this year, and remaining $88.5 M after this season. He does have opt-out.”

It’s also worth noting that MLB Network’s Jon Morosi tweeted the following about the Upton deal on Wednesday afternoon:

Source: Justin Upton determined he would likely opt-out after 2017 due to #Tigers rebuild; once he told club, trade talks picked up. @MLB.”

Update:

FanRag Sports‘ Jon Heyman tweeted about the deal as well, adding some information on the money changing hands.

Heyman tweeted:

“sources: tigers sending under $1M to angels in upton deal, which goes toward ’17. angels r responsible for next 4 yrs if he doesn’t opt out.”

Purely from a financial standpoint, this is significant for the Tigers.

The team has shed some serious cash already after moving Martinez, Wilson and Avila. However, with Upton’s deal off the books, Detroit is in an excellent place moving forward.

It allows the team some much-need financial flexibility.

Some of the recently-freed up money could potentially be spent in the offseason on a short-term, reasonable deal for a veteran outfielder.

Said outfielder could provide cover until Christin Stewart and Mike Gerber are ready to play full time.

Additionally, the team could move the veteran for more prospects once Stewart and Gerber are in the Majors.

Some potential free agents who could fit the bill include old friends Rajai Davis, Curtis Granderson, Austin Jackson and Cameron Maybin.

Next: Even after Upton trade, Tigers still need to add starting pitching in the offseason

Other conceivable fits include Jarrod Dyson, Carlos Gonzalez, Seth Smith, Jon Jay and Melky Cabrera.