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Detroit Tigers: Trade ideas involving the Washington Nationals

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WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 27: Starting pitcher Erick Fedde #23 of the Washington Nationals throws a pitch to a New York Mets batter in the first inning during Game One of a doubleheader at Nationals Park on August 27, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 27: Starting pitcher Erick Fedde #23 of the Washington Nationals throws a pitch to a New York Mets batter in the first inning during Game One of a doubleheader at Nationals Park on August 27, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /
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Detroit Tigers
DETROIT, MI – AUGUST 4: Al Avila laughs during a news conference at Comerica Park after he was promoted to executive vice president of baseball operations and general manager on August 4, 2015 in Detroit, Michigan. Avila replaces Dave Dombrowski who was the Tigers’ general manager since 2002. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) /

The Detroit Tigers role in the (hypothetical) proceedings

If the Nationals want to improve upon 2017’s finish, they’ll likely need some upgrades. This means clearing out some salary.

As it stands, one conceivable candidate to be moved to create some financial flexibility is catcher Matt Wieters.

A former stalwart with the Baltimore Orioles, things didn’t exactly go swimmingly for the 31-year-old in the nation’s capital.

With four career seasons with at least a 2.1 fWAR on his resume—not to mention a 17.7 lifetime number—Wieters turned in his first negative number in the category in 2017.

The backstop checked in with a -0.2 fWAR and registered new career-lows in wRC+ (62), wOBA (.273) and ISO (.180).

Wieters is set to earn $10.5 million next season (per Spotrac) if he exercises his player option for the campaign.

Should he do that, he’d be a conceivable trade candidate for the Nationals—especially considering Washington’s catchers finished last in the league in WAR, wOBA and wRC+.

Moving Wieters would free up more money for the Nats to make an addition at catcher as they pursue a World Series trophy.

The hypothetical deal:

Detroit Tigers acquire C Matt Wieters and SP Erick Fedde

Washington Nationals acquire P Warwick Saupold

Acquiring him in a hypothetical trade would simply be an avenue for the Detroit Tigers to add more prospects in a salary-dump type deal.

One player the Tigers could acquire along with Wieters would be right-handed starter Erick Fedde.

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