The Detroit Tigers Have Started Winning Trades

Detroit Tigers Trade No. 3 – Nolan Blackwood and Logan Shore

Fiers bWAR for Oakland – 0.8

Shore/Blackwood bWAR for Detroit – NA

The Tigers and A’s seemed to dance around a Fiers trade for a few weeks, and then the deadline came and went.  They consummated the deal a week later, with Detroit agreeing to take two players-to-be-named for Fiers. Those players ended up being Nolan Blackwood and Logan Shore, who haven’t reached the Majors, and if they ever do it will likely be as middle relievers. Fiers was strong for Oakland down the stretch, but they let him enter free agency, and then re-signed him. But the most interesting part of this trade is the hypothetical. Maybe if the Tigers trade Fiers to a different team he doesn’t spend 2 years getting pummeled by the division-rival Houston Astros (0-2, 8.34 ERA in 29 IP). And maybe if he’s on another team he’s not quite as eager to spill the beans about Houston’s scandalous sign-stealing operation. And if that doesn’t happen then A.J. Hinch is still the head coach in Houston, and the Detroit Tigers are heading into year one of the Don Kelly regime.

Verdict – A probable loss for the Tigers on players, but a huge win for the organization.