Detroit Tigers: 3 trade ideas for Jonathan Schoop

The Detroit Tigers may move Jonathan Schoop at the July 30th trade deadline. Here are four teams that could fit what Detroit is looking for.

Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch has had many various lineups this season, working with what he has been given. One item that comes to mind is putting Jonathan Schoop at first base.

With Rentalo Nunez struggling defensively when he was called up and trying to preserve Miguel Cabrera as much as possible, Hinch was able to give Schoop another dimension to his game that has helped the Tigers in more ways than one. Granted, the numbers indicated in 324 innings at 1st base a DRS (Defensive Runs Saved) of -5 this season, considering he never played the position until this season, the whole experiment could have been worse. Worth nothing Nunez is still in Toledo so keep that variable in mind.

That dimension of versatility is one that will provide useful at the trade deadline for the Al Avila and the Detroit Tigers at the deadline. In his last month, Schoop is a completely different hitter after getting off to a rocky start.

Jonathan Schoop’s March/April numbers:

• 2 HR 6 RBI .198/.230/.284 (16-for-81)  OPS + of 47
• May numbers: 3 HR 12 RBI .275/.342/.404 OPS + of 110

Jonathan Schoop’s June Numbers:

• 8 HR 16 RBI .362/.423/.797 OPS + of 224

His walk rate of 7% is the highest of his career and his 21.1% strikeout rate is just below the league average of 22.4%, according to Baseball Savant.

You can make a case that Robbie Grossman is a trade piece, considering his friendly contract but if you look at the Tigers depth chart in the outfield, there is a lot of question marks not named Riley Greene, who has been red hot down in Erie. Derek Hill is down in Lakeland starting his rehab assignment and do Tigers fans really want to have another summer with Victor Reyes as a regular? Perhaps a small majority do. The only sure thing right now among the outfield is Akil Baddoo appears to be a contributing everyday regular.

With these trade ideas pieces I have done in the past, I try to keep it in some sort of element of realistic possibilities.  One or two of the players I will mention may seem far-fetched (see the Tyler O’Neil idea from the fall) and some are lottery tickets but it really depends on what teams are willing to trade.

Trading players like Jeimer Candelario and Spencer Turnbull, who are under club control for at least two more seasons seem to be unthinkable unless Detroit could get young controllable players who are ready to play now. Even if Turnbull was healthy, why when the Tigers still have to consider innings control for Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize? But that is a different soapbox for a different day.

As our friends over at Detroit Jock City suggested that Matthew Boyd’s trade value has plummeted because of his recent injury, I disagree with that because across the league, contenders need pitching and if Boyd can come back and throw near the level he was before, he could fetch a player or two.

Let’s start with a division rival in the Chicago White Sox as a trade partner.

The Detroit Tigers trade Jonathan Schoop to the Chicago White Sox

Our FanSided affiliated site Southside Showdown discussed a Bob Nightengale rumor about the White Sox trading for Diamondbacks’ second baseman Eduardo Escobar so that might be a possibility.

Would Chicago trade with a division rival? The chances of this are slim but the Tigers did acquire Willi Castro from Cleveland for another one-year deal, Leonys Martin.   One player that has some upside to him in terms of his run, hit, fielding, and arm tool is Blake Rutherford.

A former high pick (1st round, 18th pick overall in the 2016 MLB draft) by the New York Yankees, he was traded to Chicago back in 2017 in the David Robertson trade. He is a lefty bat who just turned 24.

Why Rutherford? If I am being realistic here, he does not appear to be in the long term plans for the White Sox with Micker Adolfo in Double-A (I like him too but I don’t see Chicago parting with him) and in High-A, the recently signed Cuban outfielder Yoelqui Cespedes and expecting to sign the highly regarded Cuban outfielder Oscar Colas. 

Rutherford for a contract in Schoop that is expiring in a few months is worth taking a flyer on. The Tigers’ outfield depth is rather alarming shallow if they do not decide to bring up Jacob Robson or give Christin Stewart another chance if an injury happens.  Rutherford spent time in 2020 bulking up to add some power to his profile. He projects to play either corner outfield spot.

The White Sox may move to get Escobar quickly so this trade idea of the three is the weakest one but Chicago seems to have an army of minor league reliever arms that they could help out Detroit.

The Detroit Tigers trade Jonathan Schoop to the Boston Red Sox

Now for this trade idea, this could include a reliever like Jose Cisnero or Matthew Boyd since Boston needs all sorts of pitching help.  Currently, Christian Arroyo is Boston’s second baseman who is day to day with a leg injury but Schoop is an upgrade in the power department.

Now, Franchy Cordero, who they got from Kansas City, is back down in Worchester, the Red Sox Triple-A affiliate team. He is a lefty bat with power that could play either corner position.  Cordero did struggle when he was up in Boston but with prospects like Jarren Duran waiting in the wings, the only outfielder that seems to be a regular in the future is Alex Verdugo.

Marcus Wilson came over to Boston via a trade to the Diamondbacks and is off to a good start down in Triple-A. The 6’2 outfielder can play all three positions and has had an ISO of over .200 in the minors and that does not include Triple-A. Wilson projects to be a fourth outfielder or a good bench bat according to his scouting report on Prospect Live from Tyler Jennings. Wilson does walk near a 10% rate for his career.

Boston may ask for a starting pitcher so the value would increase to ask for a high-impact prospect. You want the Tigers to get max value for a rental player but getting a guy like Cordero who would be playing for his fourth team since coming into the league with the San Diego Padres, also may not appeal to Tigers fans.

Wilson and Cordero seem to be low-risk, high-reward types that could help the Tigers.