Detroit Tigers: One trade to make and one trade to avoid

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If Detroit Tigers General Manager Al Avila said the rebuild is over, then the Tigers should add a player at the deadline. The question is, what type of player?

On the July 20th broadcast, Detroit Tigers General Manager Al Avila said a quote that made Tigers fans happy.

“Right now, we have no pressure at all to make any trades,” Avila said. “We don’t have the type of high-salary, aging player that we need to trade to rebuild, per se. We’re on the upswing. We’re actually hoping to acquire players at some point where and when it makes sense. “We like our young players. We’re trying to bring in more talented players. And really, that’s where we’re at right now. We’re trying to get better. We’re not rebuilding anymore. We’re building.”

Judging by the reactions on social media, fans want to keep second baseman Jonathan Schoop, who is a free agent. A contract extension would be ideal, considering that Detroit has a few prospects away from contributing. Granted, I wrote a piece last month about trade ideas for Jonathan Schoop, based on the front office behavior and before Detroit went on their best winning streak since 2016.

You want to believe Kody Clemens or Zack Short will be regular contributors but until we see Clemens play on a regular and Isaac Paredes at full strength (currently on the IL), it is a giant game of “what if’s”.

Kody Clemens has been on a tear down in Toledo in his last two games going 5-for-9 with a pair of home runs and on the season, he has a wRC+ of 107 and a healthy OPS of .796.

Clemens has also been playing other positions including the outfield so it helps the Tigers in the long run.

So to move Jonathan Schoop or not?

In a trade that directly impacts the Detroit Tigers, Nelson Cruz was traded to the Tampa Rays along with Calvin Faucher to Tampa for a pair of minor league arms in right-handers Joe Ryan and Drew Strotman.

For the Twins, it gives them much-needed pitching depth in their system as Ryan was ranked 10th in the Rays system by MLB.com, and Strortman was ranked 17th. So why am I bring this up when it comes to Jonathan Schoop? Let’s take a look at their numbers closely.

Jul 19, 2021; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers second baseman Jonathan Schoop (7) makes a throw to first base during the sixth inning against the Texas Rangers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports /

Jonathan Schoop vs Nelson Cruz

Any Detroit Tigers fan will look at that return for Cruz as a haul and it is because both are top 20 arms on MLB.com so if you subscribe to that narrative for prospects, then it is a good return for a player whose contract is up at the end of the season. So let’s start with the value between the two of them in 2021.

While Nelson Cruz has the longer track record of success and gives the Rays a much-needed DH element they needed, the Twins gave up a bWAR player worth 2.2, and Schoop is not too far behind at 2.0 bWAR.

Schoop has played first for the first time in his career and has handled the position well. While Cruz does have the higher OPS + of 153, Schoop is making up for his slow start and is sitting at 122. Schoop also will more than likely be the first Tigers player to hit 20 or more home runs since Nick Castellanos’s 23 in 2018.

So looking at the comparison of the two players for 2021, Schoop is also under 30 years old. So with this Nelson Cruz trade yesterday, it seems the value for a bat may have increased and Avila should stand pat with Schoop and ride it out.

The reason? The Tigers need starting pitching depth that can start now with Joey Wentz coming back from Tommy John and both Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize under innings restrictions. The caveat being also Spencer Turnbull will be out for a significant period of time with Tommy John surgery and the farm system is thin on known starting pitchers.

So what would a package for Jonathan Schoop look like in terms of just pure prospect rankings? Let’s use two teams that would be an ideal fit for Schoop, based on an article posted by MLB Trade Rumors for the fun of it.

Boston Red Sox

RHP Connor Seabold (ranked #14 on MLB.com)

C Connor Wong (ranked #16 on MLB.com)

While it is just purely strange that both of their names are Connor, the reason why I thought Wong would be a good fit is based on position versatility, which is something manager AJ Hinch is fond of as he played second and third base in the minors. He originally came over in the Dodgers trade for Mookie Betts trade. He saw sometime this season in Boston, batting .273 in 11 at-bats this season. Wong could give Detroit another backstop with Rogers being out until mid-September.

Seabold is currently coming back from an elbow injury and is sitting on Boston’s 40-man roster. He flashes a good fastball and good changeup according to MLB.com. He also came over via trade from Philly.

These two names on the surface would appear to be players seeking an opportunity with some upside.

Seattle Mariners

It is strange to think that General Manager and Vice President Jerry Dipoto has not made a trade yet, based on his history but let’s see what Seattle would be offering, thanks to our friends over at Sojo Mojo for Matthew Boyd and I like the names they brought up so this could apply for Jonathan Schoop as well.

LHP Justus Sheffield

RHP Levi Stoudt

3B-Milkar Perez

RHP-Isaish Campbell

RHP-Wyatt Mills

RHP-Josias De Los Santos

While all the names above were part of various packages for just Matthew Boyd, they do come with inherited risk. Sheffield was at one point a highly regarded prospect for the Yankees but injuries have set him back. Schoop would be an upgrade over Dylan Moore but Seattle is in a strange place, just seven games back of Houston in the AL West.

So if the Tigers can’t get a convincing haul back for Jonathan Schoop, keep him until the end of the season. If they are serious about spending, then give Schoop an extension.

Tigers pitcher Kyle Funkhouser walks off the field after pitching against Cleveland during the seventh inning at the Comerica Park on Tuesday, May 25, 2021. /

Jose Cisnero is the one to be moved

With the emergence of Kyle Funkhouser as an effective reliever, he could be a good setup man to Gregory Soto and have either a combo of Joe Jimenez and whoever else to pitch the seventh inning. The Tigers could call up veteran Drew Hutchison from Toledo to fill the role in the rotation or pitch long relief.

The one problem with this idea to trade Cisnero is Buck Farmer has been too inconsistent and Alex Lange has struggled. You could insert Jason Foley and see what he is capable of so that is another option.

So the question becomes who would be a good fit for Cisnero among the contenders? The Red Sox do need bullpen help and Toronto, who is in fourth place, has had their bullpen destroyed by injuries as they nine pitchers on the IL.

Would a lefty like Anthony Kay be an option for Detroit to pick up? He was pitching out of the bullpen for Toronto before being sent back down to Buffalo. Kay is on their 40-man roster and features a fastball, curve, and a changeup.

The Giants out west could use another veteran bullpen arm as they try to hold off the Dodgers in the NL West race. Even the Padres could also use another vet arm to load up.

Cisnero is 32 years old and his value is never been higher. Detroit could get something useful in return to patch at least one of the holes on this roster.

The Detroit Tigers are playing well and the results speak for themselves but as they head towards August, if they can make just one move to help make them still competitive without losing Jonathan Schoop, this could be the answer.

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