Detroit Tigers: Should they target Neil Walker?

The Detroit Tigers are in rebuilding mode, but a slow free agent market could give the Tigers a chance to add a veteran like Neil Walker on the cheap.

The Detroit Tigers, like most of the league, have had a quiet offseason. A trade of star second baseman Ian Kinsler highlighted an offseason that has only seen the team sign two players to big league contracts: outfielder Leonys Martin and starting pitcher Mike Fiers.

It is pretty clear that the team has their vision set for the future. They are not making moves that will help them in the near future, instead choosing to stock up on young minor league talent via trades and the draft. This trend, often called ‘tanking’, is stirring quite a controversy among the MLBPA and the remaining free agents.

Regardless, the Tigers seem primed to head into 2018 with a lot of inexperienced players filling out their 25-man roster. One position that the Tigers seem particularly thin at is second base, following Kinsler’s departure.

25-year-old Dixon Machado is penciled in as the opening day starter at second base. He hit .259/.302/.319 with a 64 wRC+ and a -0.5 fWAR in 73 games last season. 27 of those games were at second base, the third most on the team behind Kinsler and Andrew Romine, who has since signed with the Mariners.

While Machado is a capable defender and young enough to still develop, his profile has long indicated a career as a utility infielder as opposed to an everyday player. Rebuilding teams often have to make sacrifices to save money. However, the Tigers should consider adding a veteran second baseman so that Machado can instead fill a utility role.

Enter free agent Neil Walker.

Neil Walker split his ninth season last year between the Mets and Brewers. Coming off a solid .265/.362/.439 season with a 114 wRC+ and a 2.1 fWAR, Walker seemed destined for a hefty payday. He entered a relatively thin free agent market at second base. There appeared to be more buyers than players available.

However, a variety of unique moves have sapped up much of the need for second basemen, leaving Walker still looking for a job as Spring Training draws near.

The Angels were considered one of the biggest buyers in the market, and they had a need up the middle. However, Detroit’s aforementioned Ian Kinsler trade filled that hole, giving Walker one less team to bid for his services.

The New York Mets were in consideration for Walker, but their recent signing of third baseman Todd Frazier will move Asdrubal Cabrera over to second base, pushing Walker out of the picture.

The Milwaukee Brewers could still be keen on a reunion with Walker, but their recent Lorenzo Cain signing and rumored interest in starter Yu Darvish would remove any financial flexibility they have to sign him. Should they run low on money, they would be out of the running for Walker.

This does not leave many contending teams with a clear-cut need at second base.  And the teams in need have other options. Eduardo Nunez, Chase Utley, Brandon Phillips and Nick Franklin are all still available on the free agent market. Additionally, new Miami infielder Starlin Castro is likely to be traded by Miami, who is trying to cut costs.

This certainly puts the 32-year-old Walker in a tough situation.

While they have made very few major league roster additions, the Detroit Tigers have signed a flurry of players to minor league deals. Among those are four players who could conceivably make the big league roster as infielders: Ronny Rodriguez, Niko Goodrum, Pete Kozma and Alexi Amarista.

Having all four of them certainly makes Walker more of a luxury than a necessity. However, Walker’s incredible consistency (he has posted a 1.9 fWAR or higher every season since 2010) and solid reputation would be a nice fit on a young, rebuilding Detroit squad.

Walker is a switch-hitter who posted a career-high .365 on-base percentage last year. He has hit 12 or more home runs every year since 2010, including two seasons over 20. He would immediately slot in as the teams starting second baseman, and would likely hit either first or second in the order.

The Financials

Additionally, Walker’s cost is at an all-time low. Back in November, MLB Trade Rumors predicted Todd Frazier would sign a contract at three years, $33 million dollars. The market has been so slow to develop that Frazier just accepted a two-year, $17 million dollar deal. Walker could see a drastic drop as well. That would make him a much more appealing target for a Detroit team that is trying to cut costs.

At the beginning of the offseason, MLBTradeRumors projected Walker to sign a two-year, $22 million dollar deal. While Walker is still likely to ask for multiple years, something closer to two years and $14 million dollars seems plausible.

The Tigers should seriously consider shelling out $14 million dollars to add Walker.

Next: A look at the 2018 Infield

There is nothing wrong with going into the regular season with Machado at second. However, if a consistent, durable player falls into your lap at an affordable rate, the Tigers should consider taking advantage.