Detroit Tigers should make this trade with the Seattle Mariners

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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) /

Detroit Tigers executive vice president of baseball operations and general manager Al Avila could conceivably make some trades this offseason. One potential trade partner is Seattle.

Detroit Tigers fans have already seen the team jettison some players from the team’s 40-man roster this offseason.

The Tigers removed a number of veterans from the 40-man unit in the team’s quest to get younger.

These included catcher Bryan Holaday, first baseman Efren Navarro, starting pitcher Myles Jaye, outfielders Alex Presley, Jim Adduci and Tyler Collins and relievers Jeff Ferrell and Kyle Ryan.

Detroit also removed utility ace Andrew Romine from the roster.

The versatile defender was later claimed on waivers by the Seattle Mariners.

Romine is a fit with the M’s because gives Seattle another utility infielder to pair with Taylor Motter, while also providing the team with an extra outfield option to utilize alongside the likes of Mitch Haniger, Ben Gamel and Guillermo Heredia.

As it stands, the utility player isn’t the only Tigers player from last season who could be a fit for Seattle.

It wouldn’t be a shock to see the Tigers move a handful of other veterans this offseason.

Among the hypothetical trade candidates are second baseman Ian Kinsler, shortstop Jose Iglesias, closer Shane Greene and reliever Alex Wilson.

Here’s a hypothetical trade that would benefit both parties.

DETROIT, MI – SEPTEMBER 22: Alex Wilson #30 of the Detroit Tigers pitches against the Minnesota Twins during the eighth inning at Comerica Park on September 22, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) /

Detroit adds a young position player to the team’s nucleus

The trade:

Detroit Tigers acquire: first baseman Dan Vogelbach

Seattle Mariners acquire: relief pitcher Alex Wilson

Alex Wilson may not have the same trade value as fellow Tigers reliever Shane Greene.

However, the former Red Sox hurler should still be able to bring back a quality return in a trade.

Vogelbach is certainly a quality return for Detroit.

While it’s a relatively high price to pay for the Mariners, Seattle is in need of some stability in the bullpen.

Bullpen need

Among other statistical finishes last season, the M’s bullpen ended 2017 ranked 16^th in fWAR, 20^th in FIP and 21^st in home runs per nine innings.

Wilson could certainly help Seattle’s bullpen considering he has been nothing but stable in his time in a Tigers uniform.

Since the start of the 2015 season, the right-hander ranks 14^th in terms of the lowest home run to fly ball rate ahead of the likes of Kenley Jansen, Mark Melancon and Felipe Rivero.

What’s more, he checks in at 15^th in innings pitched and walks allowed per nine innings and 52^nd in home runs allowed per nine innings among 186 qualified relievers in the same span.

All told, Wilson owns a 3.20 ERA, a 3.75 FIP and a 1.21 FIP in a Tigers uniform.

Boosting his trade value even more is the fact that the 31-year-old has two more years of controllability remaining via arbitration (according to Spotrac).

In this hypothetical trade, he’d slot into a Seattle bullpen that has already lost Emilio Pagan and Thyago Vieira this winter and will see David Phelps and Marc Rzepczynski hit free agency next winter.

DETROIT, MI – APRIL 7: A general view of Comerica Park prior to the start of the opening day game between the Boston Red Sox and the Detroit Tigers on April 7, 2017 at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) /

Detroit’s side of the (hypothetical) deal

In return, the Detroit Tigers would receive a potential first base solution in Dan Vogelbach.

The 24-year-old would come with six years of controllability (per Spotrac), including three years before he becomes arbitration-eligible.

Once a well-regarded prospect in the Chicago Cubs farm system, Vogelbach ran into a similar dilemma as current Tigers third baseman Jeimer Candelario as he was blocked in the Majors by a star player.

With Anthony Rizzo entrenched at first base, it prevented Vogelbach from breaking into the bigs with the Cubs. He was later flipped to the M’s in the Mike Montgomery trade.

Potential

The first baseman still has plenty of upside, however. Baseball Prospectus wrote the following about the prospect.

“Vogelbach can really hit. He’s a disciplined hitter with excellent strike zone judgement, and his swing covers both halves of the plate. He’s a huge guy with loft in his swing, and above-average bat speed, all of which translates into plus raw power. … He won’t win many batting tiles—too many strikeouts and he’s not legging out many infield grounders—but he makes a lot of hard contact and should post a strong on-base percentage.”

The first baseman would make for an ideal fit in Detroit, where he can take over first base duties from Miguel Cabrera as the future Hall of Famer transitions full-time to designated hitter.

At this point, the prospect doesn’t have much left to prove in the minors at this point after crushing Triple-A pitching last season.

Vogelbach turned in a 122 wRC+, a .374 wOBA and a .290 batting average. He also contributed a .844 OPS, a 14.0 walk rate and a 18.1 strikeout percentage in 541 plate appearances.

What’s more, the first baseman also added 83 RBI, 65 runs scored, 25 doubles and 17 home runs.

This came in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. However, it should be noted that raking is nothing new for the former second-round pick.

He owns a .287 batting average, a .390 on-base percentage, a .476 slugging percentage and an .866 OPS in 2,870 minor league plate appearance.

Trading the 25-year-old would also open up outfield room for both Stewart and Mike Gerber.

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