1 trade candidate from each MLB team the Detroit Tigers should target

Detroit Tigers trade ideas: National League West

Arizona Diamondbacks

Ketel Marte

The theme of versatile continues with Ketel Marte.

The Diamondbacks star can play anywhere up the middle of the field. Centerfield, second base, shortstop.

The 28-year-old native of the Dominican Republic would be a real nice addition to this competitive Detroit Tigers roster. In fact, if I got to pick one player to actually get traded to the Tigers, it may be Ketel Marte.

The Diamondbacks have a long road ahead before they are competitive again, and Marte will most likely no longer be rattling around the Phoenix outfield when that time comes.

Marte’s club options for 2023 ($10 million) and 2024 ($12 million) are extremely affordable for a player of his caliber. Although he had some injuries throughout the year, Marte still finished with an OPS over .900 and had a batting average of .318. This is a no-brainer.

Colorado Rockies

Daniel Bard

Bard came back to the big leagues in a similar way to Tyler Matzek after being away for a while. The former Red Sox prospect had a nice but limited 2020 and struggled in 2021.

Bard still strikes out plenty of batters (80 K in 65.2 IP) and a bigger ballpark like Comerica may increase his value.

An estimated $4.8 million is worth the risk for a player who can come into a big situation and put hitters away. It’s a medium risk, high reward potential. Again, you can never have too much pitching depth. He’d also be a great veteran mind in a bullpen of younger hurlers.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Tommy Kahnle

Kahnle is very similar to Bard in what he brings to the table. The only difference is that Kahnle had Tommy John surgery in August 2020, and missed 2021 entirely. That didn’t stop the Dodgers from inking him to a two-year contract in hopes he’d be ready for 2022.

The Dodgers would need to be swayed to give him up, but the uncertainty of the recovery from Tommy John surgery may have them listen to the right offer.

It would be a gamble, but as I said with Bard, you can never have too much veteran help in the bullpen.

San Diego Padres

Chris Paddack

“The Sheriff” ended his 2021 season with elbow and oblique injuries. That’s never a good sign. Although his season was shut down because of those ailments, it seems as though he will be ready to go (fingers crossed) ((split fingers crossed?)) for the upcoming 2022 season.

The former top prospect who walked a grand total of eight hitters over 90 innings in the minors during the 2018 season lost his way in 2021. With that kind of previous output though, there’s reason to hope things can turn back around. Paddack’s 5.07 ERA in 2021 will not be what’s remembered about his career when he hangs up his boots. Spikes, sorry.

The Padres are unlikely to deal the soon to be 26 year old, but in case they ponder it, well I’m sure as shootin’ he’d make a great Tiger. Paddack already earned his badge, time for the pitcher to earn his stripes as well.

San Francisco Giants

Jarlin Garcia

The San Francisco Giants were a powerhouse in 2021 and Garcia was a big piece of their bullpen.

He’s similar to some of the other lefty relievers on this list, and it’ll take a lot to get him from the team that finished with the best record in baseball last year. He’s affordable for the next two seasons and finished 2021 with a 2.62 ERA. It wouldn’t take the biggest deal to pluck him from the Bay, but it would be a deal worth investigating.

There you have it, folks! One trade candidate from every team that would help the Tigers out in 2022 and potentially beyond!