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Detroit Tigers should make this trade with the Boston Red Sox

By Ben Rosener

DENVER, CO - AUGUST 30: Shane Greene #61 of the Detroit Tigers pitches against the Colorado Rockies in the ninth inning of a game at Coors Field on August 30, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - AUGUST 30: Shane Greene #61 of the Detroit Tigers pitches against the Colorado Rockies in the ninth inning of a game at Coors Field on August 30, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 01: Sam Travis #59 of the Boston Red Sox smiles after missing a throw to second base during warmups against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on September 1, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 01: Sam Travis #59 of the Boston Red Sox smiles after missing a throw to second base during warmups against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on September 1, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images) /

Detroit adds more position-player prospects close to the Majors

The trade:

Detroit Tigers acquire: reliever Carson Smith, first baseman Sam Travis and third baseman Michael Chavis.

Boston Red Sox acquire: relievers Shane Greene and Alex Wilson, utility player Andrew Romine and outfielder Alex Presley.

If the Tigers move Shane Greene this winter, the team should be able to get a premium return for him.

And this (gestures to hypothetical trade text) is a premium return.

Justin Wilson (along with Alex Avila) netted Detroit a pair of high-end prospects in Candelario and Isaac Paredes.

This trade is similar, only the Tigers should snag more in a deal for Greene.

According to Spotrac, Wilson will hit free agency after the 2018 campaign. In other words, the Tigers essentially traded one and a half seasons of Wilson to the Cubs.

If Greene is moved this offseason, Detroit would be dealing three seasons of the 28-year-old, who per Spotrac has three years of controllability left before becoming a free agent.

Just for comparison’s sake, here’s a look at Wilson’s stats before his trade to Chicago as well as Greene’s numbers once he himself took over as closer.

Justin Wilson’s stats from April 4 to July 29: 40.1 IP, 3.47 xFIP, .210 BABIP, 12.27 strikeouts per nine innings, 3.57 walks per nine innings, 83.9 LOB% and a 38.4 ground ball percentage.

Shane Greene’s stats from August 1 to September 30: 21.2 innings pitched, 3.68 xFIP, .302 BABIP, 9.55 strikeouts per nine innings, 3.74 walks per nine innings, 88.2 LOB% and a 46.4 ground ball percentage.

Obviously Greene had fewer opportunities with the Tigers struggling down the stretch.

However, he was similarly effective to Wilson, albeit with a tad more ground ball outs than strikeouts.

Not only does the right-hander have closing experience, but he can also pitch as a setup man or as a situational, multi-inning reliever.

This should boost his trade value considerably.

The Tigers’ closer would help fill a late-inning need for a Boston team that will see Addison Reed, Fernando Abad and Blaine Boyer hit the free agent market.

Meanwhile, Robbie Ross and Tyler Thornburg both missed significant time last season due to injury.

Ross appeared in just eight games, while Thornburg didn’t pitch at all.

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