Detroit Tigers: Exploring a trade with the Angels

The Tigers have nine(!) players who logically look like candidates to be traded at the trade deadline. While not all of them are fits on the Angels, here is a quick glance at how Detroit’s trade chips have performed up to this point this season.

Mike Fiers

Fiers was signed to a one-year, $6 million dollar contract in the offseason. The intent was for Fiers to have a stellar first half so the Tigers could ship him to a contender and get a prospect or two in return. Fiers has held up his end of the bargain, going 5-3 with a 4.01 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP in 12 starts this year. His strikeout numbers are down and his FIP is 4.89 however, so the Tigers better hope he can keep this up so they can get something good in return.

Michael Fulmer

At this point, a Fulmer trade doesn’t really make sense for Detroit anymore. He has not looked even remotely like himself lately, sporting a 4.40 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP on the year. Unless he completely catches fire over the next month, it’s unlikely the Tigers will find a trade partner willing to give up enough for them to part with their ace.

Shane Greene

Relievers, particularly those with closing experience, tend to fetch a big haul at the trade deadline. However, Greene has had a rough go of things lately, with a 4.02 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. At this point, since he won’t be a free agent until 2019, the Tigers will certainly be very selective with Greene. Brad Hand, Kelvin Herrera and Zach Britton could all be on the trade market as well, which would squash Greene’s value.

Blaine Hardy

A new addition to this list, Hardy has outperformed expectations this season, his first in the rotation. Only pitching on a one-year, $795,000 deal, the 31-year-old Hardy and his 3.66 ERA and 1.18 WHIP should command at least some attention at the deadline. The Tigers likely won’t bring back a reliever on the wrong side of 30 after this year, so anything they can get for Hardy would be a bonus.

Jose Iglesias

Detroit Tigers GM Al Avila all but guaranteed that shortstop Jose Iglesias would be dealt before the end of the 2018 season. Iggy has boosted his trade value lately, slashing .257/.305/.383 with two home runs and nine stolen bases. His defense has been excellent as always, but at this point he’s a very expensive ($6.28M) utility infielder. Teams likely won’t give up much for that.

Francisco Liriano

Liriano’s injury has really squashed his trade value, which is a bummer as he was looking like one of Detroit’s better trade chips. That could still happen however, as he is expected back in short order. Liriano has a 3.90 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP in 10 starts this season. He was traded at the deadline last year, netting the Blue Jays star outfielder Teoscar Hernandez. Perhaps the Tigers will be able to snag a quality position player prospect for Liriano once again this year.

Leonys Martin

Martin, like Liriano, has seen his trade value plummet thanks to an injury. His performance on the field has been excellent, over performing his modest $2 million dollar deal. He’s healthy now, so hopefully a strong six weeks or so nets him a job on a contending team and nets the Tigers some young talent.

Victor Martinez

The 39-year-old Martinez is in the last year of his gargantuan four-year, $68 million dollar contract. He is all but certain to retire at the end of this year, where he is owed a cool $18 million. Finding a trade partner for Martinez and his .244/.308/.348 slash line, especially at his cost, will be nearly impossible. If the Tigers have to eat a big chunk of the money to move him, they would consider it. Even that, however, seems unlikely considering his underwhelming performance and his lack of versatility.

James McCann

The Detroit Tigers control James McCann through 2020. Therefore, they don’t need to deal him anytime soon. However, he is not going to be Detroit’s catcher of the future, with some combination of Jake Rogers, Sam McMillan and Grayson Greiner likely to fill that role. Don’t expect him to be dealt at the deadline unless some desperate, catcher needy team comes looking.

Alex Wilson

Wilson is under team control through 2019. However, the Tigers should be looking to trade any of their veteran relievers at the trade deadline, when reliever prices are sky-high. A stint on the DL hasn’t helped Wilson’s value. Hopefully he can use the next few weeks to bring down his 4.29 ERA and boost his trade value for Al Avila and the Detroit Tigers.