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Detroit Tigers: 3 very unrealistic trade proposals

By Matthew Scheidel

DETROIT, MI - NOVEMBER 30: Detroit Tigers Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Al Avila talks to the media during the press conference to announce the contract signing of pitcher Jordan Zimmermann at Comerica Park on November 30, 2015 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - NOVEMBER 30: Detroit Tigers Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Al Avila talks to the media during the press conference to announce the contract signing of pitcher Jordan Zimmermann at Comerica Park on November 30, 2015 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /
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Trade 3: Bryan Reynolds to the Detroit Tigers

Detroit Tigers
PITTSBURGH, PA – JULY 05: Bryan Reynolds #10 of the Pittsburgh Pirates in action during the game against the New York Yankees at PNC Park on July 5, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) /

This last one is a tale as old as time: taking a player from the Pittsburgh Pirates and hope they magically become better. In this case, Reynolds is already pretty darn good.

After an abysmal month of April and not much better May, the switch-hitting Reynolds looked like is old self again in June, slashing .333/.379/.610 with a .989 OPS and eight homers. In total, Reynolds is slashing .257/.337/.463 with an OPS of .800 and 15 home runs this season.

After hitting .314 with an .880 OPS during his 2019 rookie season, Reynolds struggled mightily during the 2020 COVID season, batting just .189. Thankfully, last season was a return to form, smashing 24 dingers with an OPS of .912 en route to his first career All-Star selection.

Defensively, Reynolds has taken a step back this season. After posting a Statcast outs above average of 9 last season, he’s at -5 so far this season, ranking him in the fifth percentile according to Baseball Savant.

Still, his bat would be worth it for the Tigers, especially in an outfield that lacks depth. At 27 years old and under team control until 2026, he would command a pretty good haul. In this proposal, I have the Tigers sending Akil Baddoo, catching prospect Dillon Dingler (No. 3) and pitching prospect Ty Madden (No. 5) in exchange for Reynolds.

Baddoo would immediately fill the void in the outfield for Pittsburgh left by Reynolds. Dingler was a second rounder in 2020 and just selected to represent the Tigers in this year’s Futures Game. Madden was a first-rounder by the Tigers in the competitive balance round, and has done well in High-A West Michigan.

Once more, this will most likely never happen. None of these trades will. I don’t expect the Detroit Tigers to start selling the farm for big-league talent. At this point, it would seem like a desperation move more than anything. However, it was admittedly pretty fun to play GM for a bit.

Next. Who else should represent the Detroit Tigers now that Miggy is an All-Star?. dark

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