Detroit Tigers: The teams with the prospect/trade capital to acquire Michael Fulmer

Detroit Tigers fans could conceivably see Michael Fulmer traded this winter. Though it seems unlikely for numerous reasons, it’s possible all the same. These teams have the trade capital to acquire Fulmer.

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Michael Fulmer is arguably the team’s best trade chip

In an offseason in which players like second baseman Ian Kinsler, shortstop Jose Iglesias, closer Shane Greene and reliever Alex Wilson could conceivably be dealt, Fulmer stands out.

Not only does the hurler come with five years of controllability left, according to Spotrac, but he’s already racked up a 6.5 fWAR in first two seasons as a professional.

If Detroit moves him, the team should be in line for a significant haul of players and prospects.

This isn’t saying Fulmer will be traded.

One, he’s spending the offseason recovering from an injury and subsequent surgery that cost him the end of the 2017 season.

Two, keeping him ensures a quicker turnaround for the Tigers. A Fulmer-Franklin Perez tandem as early as July would give Detroit one of the best building-block pairings in the league. Things look even better if Daniel Norris and Matthew Boyd can turn things around.

From there, the nucleus would expand to include the likes of Jeimer Candelario, Christin Stewart, Mike Gerber, Joe Jimenez, Jairo Labourt, Nicholas Castellanos and James McCann.

If all those players can take steps forward in the next season, things could be on the upswing sooner than many thought.

Still, if Fulmer is dealt, there aren’t going to be many teams that can match what should be a sky-high asking price.

Here’s a look at the teams that have the draft capital to hypothetically acquire Fulmer.

Houston Astros

Whether Houston needs another starting pitcher is up for debate.

The Astros could very well claim the World Series with a rotation featuring Justin Verlander, Dallas Keuchel, Lance McCullers Jr., Charlie Morton and Brad Peacock.

Still, if the team feels it needs another starter, they do have the prospects to acquire Fulmer.

Among the players Houston could send Detroit’s way include outfielders Kyle Tucker and Derek Fisher, right-handers Forrest Whitley and J.B. Bukauskas and first baseman Yordan Alvarez. Infielder Alex Bregman would also be a fit.

Los Angeles Dodgers

We now move to the other World Series, who themselves are well-stocked in terms of trade chips.

Most prominent among them include right-handers Walker Buehler and Yadier Alvarez and outfielders Alex Verdugo and Jeren Kendall.

Los Angeles’ rotation outlook is currently a crowded one, with Clayton Kershaw, Yu Darvish, Alex Wood, Rich Hill and Kenta Maeda headlining a deep group.

There’s also Brandon McCarthy, Buehler and Hyun-Jin Ryu, as well as Scott Kazmir, who is on the 60-day disabled list.

All that being said, Darvish is a free agent after the season.

Should he depart, the Dodgers would be in need of another frontline starter to pair with Clayton Kershaw.

Additionally, Kazmir, McCarthy and Ryu will become free agents following the 2018 season. In that regard, adding Fulmer would give the Dodgers some long-term stability beside Kershaw.

Of course, Los Angeles does have Buehler near the Majors, but the fit is there nonetheless.

Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs may not have the prospect capital that they used to. In fact, they simply don’t.

Mid-season deals for Jose Quintana, Justin Wilson and Alex Avila sapped the Cubs of the team’s best trade chips from a prospect standpoint.

Still, what Chicago doesn’t have in prospects, the franchise more than makes up for in controllable, young Major League talent.

From Kyle Schwarber, Albert Almora Jr. and Ian Happ in the outfield to Addison Russell and Javier Baez in the infield, there are plenty of potential long-term fits for the Detroit Tigers.

Milwaukee Brewers

The wild card of the bunch, the Brew Crew certainly have the assets to make a trade work.

It would take a significant amount of young talent, but a potential trade package including Lewis Brinson, one of Luis Ortiz, Brandon Woodruff and Josh Hader plus another prospect or two would be worth a look for Detroit.

The deal would give the Detroit Tigers a potential All-Star in center field, as well as a young starter in the rotation to replace Fulmer.

Milwaukee also has a number of big league veterans who could fit in the Motor City as a throw-in of sorts in this hypothetical trade. These players include Keon Broxton, Jonathan Villar and Hernan Perez.

Atlanta

Another organization loaded with prospects, Atlanta has plenty to offer in  hypothetical trade. From Ronald Acuna and Kolby Allard to Kyle Wright and Mike Soroka, there’s plenty of intruiging young talents.

Other potential fits in Detroit include Kevin Maitan, Ian Anderson and Luiz Gohara.