Detroit Tigers: Winter Meetings Day 1 Roundup

The Detroit Tigers had a quiet first day of Winter Meetings despite wanting to deal Ian Kinsler relatively soon.

The weekend before Day 1 on the Winter Meetings saw Giancarlo Stanton being  traded away to the Yankees, and then the Yankees had the loudest Day 1, officially introducing Stanton as a team member.

The Tigers, on the other hand, didn’t trade Ian Kinsler, despite a strong desire to do so. Per Jason Beck of MLB.com, Al Avila said:

“In our situation right now, it behooves us to move him, a veteran player, for a prospect,” Avila said, “[and] give [Dixon] Machado an opportunity to play more often. That would be a move in line with what we’re trying to do.”

Machado was voted the 2017 Detroit Tigers Rookie of The Year, batting .259 (43-for-166) with seven extra-base hits, 17 runs scored, 11 RBIs and a .621 OPS in 181 plate appearances.

The general consensus on a Kinsler trade is that the Detroit Tigers would likely receive a mid-level prospect or a younger high-side prospect according to the Detroit Free Press.

Kinsler is coming off one of his least productive seasons in the majors and the Tigers have to contend with Josh Harrison of the Pirates and Jason Kipnis of the Indians available on the trade market.

Here are some more rumors and updates from around Day 1 of the Winter Meetings.

The Angels are considering a six-man rotation to maximize newest Angel Shohei Ohtani’s two-way potential.

Per Maria Guardado of MLB.com:

“If we, in fact, go that route, I will have conversations with them,” Eppler said Monday during Day 1 of MLB’s Winter Meetings.

The MLB has a five-day rotation schedule, whereas Ohtani is used to a seven-day rotation in Japan and the 23-year old has never pitched more than 160 2/3 innings in a single season.

The 23-year old missed most of last season due to thigh and ankle injuries, making only 5 starts. As well, Ohtani had an PRP injection in October, but according to his Agent it was merely preventive. According to CBS Sports, havig a PRP injection sometimes helps a pitcher avoid having Tommy John Surgery.

During Day 1 of the Winter Meetings GM Billy Eppler noted the decision will be made before Spring Training starts in February.

Brewers Outfielder Domingo Santana is drawing interest from teams around the league.

But Adam McCalvy of MLB.com noted it’d take a sizeable haul for the Brewers  to trade him as he quoted GM Stearns:

“It’s natural when you have depth at any position to get calls on players at this positions. So that’s what happens,” Stearns said. “But it’s also natural that if we’re going to even consider trading someone who is such an important part of our team, we are going to expect a sizable return.”

The Brewers already have a stackd outfield-with Lewis Brinson, Keon Broxton, Brett Phillips, and Ryan Braun. The Brewers need help in their starting rotation and currently Santana serves as their best bargaining chip to acquire that much needed help.

Last season Santana batted .278 with 30 home runs, 85 runs batted in, .371 on-base percentage and an .875 OPS. As Brew Crew Ball of SB Nation notes that any deal including Santana would likely return a  known Major League player or MLB-ready player in return for Santana.

The Cardinals had an offseason plan centered around acquiring Giancarlo Stanton.

Now the shift of Winter Meetings has focused to acquiring an impact bat per Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com:

“I think now it’s going to be a balancing act of do we chase more pitching or do we chase trying to find some upgrade offensively to our club?” Mozeliak said. “I think we’re open to both. I think right now everything we’re exploring would be something that we, again, feel is an upgrade from where we are. And in the end, if you have enough of those in an aggregate setting, we should be better.”

With the Stanton sweepstakes officially over the Cardinals are looking to add an elite bat. Marcell Ozuna is a player who is that “impact bat” the Cardinals need, according to Call To The Pen. With the Marlins rebuilding, Ozuna could be that quality outfielder they’re looking for.

The Cardinals have also expressed interest in Christian Yelich from the Marlins. St. Louis Today notes that Yelich has the control and contract offer the Cards seek, but Ozuna has more of the elite bat which they’ve expressed in acquiring.

Next: Yankees And Rangers Interested In Fulmer