Should the Detroit Tigers seriously consider trading Buck Farmer?

The MLB trade deadline is just a few days away, and the Detroit Tigers could look to move one player who has flown mostly under the radar this year.

When talking about Detroit Tigers pitchers on the trading block as the deadline approaches, obviously the two guys that first come to mind are lefty starter Matthew Boyd and All-Star closer, Shane Greene. However, another name in the Tigers’ bullpen has quietly crept somewhat into the trade conversation over the past few days, that name being reliever Buck Farmer.

The Detroit Tigers drafted Buck Farmer in the fifth round of the 2013 MLB Draft, and the right-hander made his first major league appearance for the Tigers in 2014 at the age of 23. Since then, Farmer has floated back and forth from Triple-A to the majors and from the bullpen to the starting rotation and then back to the bullpen.

Finally, Farmer made enough of a breakthrough to spend all of 2018 and 2019 so far in Detroit’s big-league bullpen. The righty has shown steady improvement throughout the years including this season as he currently holds a 3.76 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 46 appearances. The 28-year-old has flown under the radar as possibly the Detroit Tigers’ most improved player this year, so is that enough to now consider him a trade chip?

Farmer is a cheap reliever who has shown the capability of being a reliable late-inning setup man, and, like Matthew Boyd, is under control until after 2022. He represents possibly one of the most cost-effective options for any contender looking to improve the bullpen at the trade deadline and could net the Tigers a somewhat decent return.

At his age, Buck Farmer may not be exactly a guy the Detroit Tigers want to hang onto for much longer considering this team is still several years from contending again. Farmer has consistently improved over his years with the Tigers organization and now may be set to go and flourish somewhere else as Detroit continues to slowly and steadily rebuild.

Although no teams have reportedly shown much interest in Buck Farmer yet, expect that to possibly change before Wednesday’s trade deadline. His cheap salary and multiple years of control could make him an appealing target for any team looking to make a deadline move without spending too much.