Detroit Tigers: Taking on contracts could provide useful in adding prospects

Other options

Yasmany Tomas

If the Arizona Diamondbacks need to clear out salary in order to try and retain J.D. Martinez, Tomas seems like a potential candidate to go.

The outfielder, per Spotrac, is making $13.5 million in 2018 with player options for the 2019 and 2020 seasons set at $15.5 and $17 million.

Outside of Pavin Smith and Josh Duplantier, there isn’t much top-tier talent in Arizona’s minor league system.

Detroit should obviously jump at the chance if either player is involved in a salary dump. However, both players seem highly unlikely to be moved in that kind of a deal.

Crazier things have happened though. Arizona did move Toussaint to be rid of Arroyo’s contract.

Sean Rodriguez

Back to Pittsburgh, where Sean Rodriguez is another player whose salary the Pirates could conceivably shed if the team looks to free up more cash.

According to Spotrac, the versatile Rodriguez is making $5.5 million in the last year of two-year deal in 2018.

Like Rzepczynski, he wouldn’t necessarily come a highly-regarded prospect.

That being said, adding Rodriguez and a low-level prospect or two wouldn’t be the worst outcome for the Detroit Tigers.

In this hypothetical transaction, the Tigers would pick up a player in Rodriguez who is essentially Andrew Romine with more pop.

Able to play every position besides pitcher and catcher, Rodriguez turned in a 128 wRC+, a .240 ISO, 35 extra-base hits and a .349 on-base percentage 342 plate appearances in 2016.

He wasn’t able to replicate those numbers in an injury-shortened 2017 campaign (54 wRC+, .274 on-base percentage in 136 plate appearances).

However, Detroit could play him all over the diamond depending on where the need is.

Next: The Tigers won’t be this bad next season

As with many on this list, Rodriguez could develop into a trade chip. He could appeal to a contender in search of a versatile bench piece for the stretch run.