Detroit Tigers: 3 ways to address the shortstop predicament

Detroit Tigers trade for IF Gavin Lux: Los Angeles Dodgers

Detroit Tigers fans are fans of upcoming free agent Corey Seager. He is a left-handed bat who has had a pair of 20 home run seasons but has seen his numbers decline a bit in 2021 in 44 games due to injuries.

On the other hand, Seager is a Scott Boras client and as it seems to go, Boras’s clients have good luck with the Tigers (see the Jonathan Schoop deal) so shall see what happens what route the  Dodgers will go as their payroll has expanded to $263 million. 

Granted, Gavin Lux before his hamstring injury was playing shortstop until mid-July. FanGraphs had his future value at 70 because of his raw and game power tool at second base but he didn’t see time at short until this season, where he has been in place of Seager and has perform well enough for a DRS of 0.

He has hit just .227 this season and the power tool hasn’t shown yet but he turns 24 in November and just getting out of rookie status.

For how long he is under contract, the Dodgers may not want to move him but another “fresh start” situation could work for Lux. This one of the three is the most unlikely but I like Lux’s ability to play second base if Schoop has to slide over to first.

The Detroit Tigers could spend wisely is the best route to go but…

Chris Ilitch said he was looking to get “high-impact players” in the off-season so Correa would be the easy choice for all Tigers fans but between Al Avila, the front office, and AJ Hinch, Detroit can be smart and go about the trade route. Lynn Henning usually has an insight for these things and his article could give the vibe Detroit may not spend all their money in one spot or try to warn Tigers fans to curve their expectations.

They could make it an open invitation among the players on the roster, including Isaac Paredes but he has not been able to stay healthy and he has not played short on a regular basis. He has the range to play the position but it’s unknown where he will land on the pecking order.

Whatever the case may be, one thing is certain. If Detroit does their homework, they can find a shortstop that allows them to spend wisely or trade for one that can add an element to the lineup.