A Nolan Arenado trade could derail everything the Tigers are building

After the Detroit Tigers failed to land third baseman Alex Bregman in free agency, it was only a matter of time before the Nolan Arenado trade rumors started to gain steam. The St. Louis Cardinals made it painstakingly clear that they were trying to offload their veteran third baseman as they look to get younger, and the Tigers had an opening at the hot corner.

The rumors connecting Arenado to Detroit died down after St. Louis was unable to trade him before the season started. But several MLB executives and insiders still believe Arenado will be traded at some point this season, and at least one thinks the Tigers remain a good fit.

Former MLB general manager Jim Bowden proposed a trade in The Athletic (subscription required) that would send Arenado to the Tigers in exchange for a pair of lower-level prospects in right-handed pitcher Josh Randall and infielder Carson Rucker.

“Arenado has a full no-trade clause and has not indicated he would accept a move to the Motor City,” Bowden noted. “However, perhaps the eight-time All-Star would reconsider the opportunity to join Detroit, a playoff team with one of the best and deepest five-man rotations in MLB.”

The Tigers have lived up to the preseason hype so far, sitting comfortably atop the American League standings around the quarter-mark of the season. They may have missed out on Bregman, but they certainly don't appear to be any worse off. And if the Tigers don't need Bregman, they absolutely don't need Arenado.

A Nolan Arenado trade could derail everything the Tigers are building

There's adding veteran experience, and there's adding dead weight. In the Tigers' case, trading for Arenado would be the latter.

Arenado is a five-time Silver Slugger, but at age 34, he's no longer the power hitter he once was. He's hitting at a decent clip of .253/.336/.396 (105 OPS+) this season, but that's hardly enough to justify the $21 million he's owed this year and the additional $31 million he's owed over the next two years.

If the Tigers are looking to add offense, especially at that price, they should aim higher than Arenado. Saddling themselves with that hefty contract for two more seasons would cost them the financial and positional flexibility that has become one of their greatest assets during the Scott Harris era.

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