Detroit Tigers Rumors: A’s reportedly interested in Blaine Hardy

According to Susan Slusser, of the San Francisco Chronicle, the Oakland Athletics are reportedly interested in acquiring reliever Blaine Hardy.

The Detroit Tigers and Oakland Athletics have become trading buddies over the past couple of seasons. Last year they sent Mike Fiers to the A’s for a pair of prospects. Now, the Athletics are interested in acquiring Blaine Hardy.

According to Susan Slusser:

"With the A’s anticipating that they will continue to use relievers to open games at times next season, the club is looking at some pitchers who might fit the bill as swingmen, able to start, work in relief and provide length as the second pitcher into games.A source told The Chronicle that the A’s have expressed some interest in Tigers left-hander Blaine Hardy."

Hardy’s name reportedly came up last season in trade talks between the two clubs. He’s scheduled to only earn $1.2 million and is controllable for two more seasons beyond 2019 per MLB Trade Rumors.

The Tigers are still in a rebuild and with Hardy 31, it would make sense that he wouldn’t be in the Tigers long-term plans. The Athletics have one of the smaller payrolls in MLB and the Athletics have one of the better farm systems in baseball. A Bleacher Report article from August had them ranked 13th.

However, their farm system is pitcher heavy, which the Tigers need more positional playing prospects. However, that doesn’t mean the Tigers can’t swing a worthwhile trade with the Athletics.

There are still plenty of free-agent arms on the market, so it remains to be seen if the Athletics actually trade for Hardy. It does bode well though, that the  Tigers and Athletics previously had trade talks about the reliever last season.

Blaine spent some time injured last season with elbow tendinitis. However, he did appear in thirty games while starting in 13 games. With the recent addition of Matt Moore, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the Tigers trade Blaine away.