Cubs-Astros Kyle Tucker trade package shows Tigers could've easily made impact deal

We are well into the MLB offseason, and the Detroit Tigers have yet to make any moves worth getting overly excited about.

While there is still plenty of time as well as plenty of names available in free agency and on the trade block, it's hard to feel optimistic that the Tigers will make any more splashes this offseason. It's not like anyone expected them to shell out $800 million for Juan Soto, but surely they could have made an impact move or two by now, right? (And no, signing 37-year-old Alex Cobb to a one-year contract doesn't count.)

Take the Chicago Cubs' blockbuster trade for Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker, for example. In exchange for the veteran slugger, Chicago sent infielder Isaac Paredes and a pair of prospects back to Houston. It certainly feels like the Tigers could have put together a similar package comprised of short-term and long-term solutions for Houston in order to land the power-hitting outfielder that they desperately need.

Cubs' trade package for Kyle Tucker shows Tigers could've easily made impact deal with Astros

The Astros are a team that likely would have made the postseason prior to trading Tucker. Now, they appear to be punting on a chance to compete with a veteran core and taking more of a rebuild-on-the-fly approach.

The Tigers, meanwhile, find themselves at the beginning of their window of contention and are just an impact piece or two away from being a real threat to make a deep playoff run. Tucker is exactly the type of player who could help the Tigers take the next step in 2025, and the type of trade the Cubs made for him almost certainly wouldn't have been cost prohibitive for Detroit. There's obviously the outfield logjam had they attempted such a trade, but you always make room for MVP-caliber talent regardless of the roster construction.

The Tigers have no shortage of prospects, including a top-tier third baseman in Jace Jung. Packaging a Major League player like Zack McKinstry with Jung and a pitching prospect probably could have gotten the job done. And if that wouldn't have been enough, would Tigers fans have gotten upset if they gave up a bit more?

Even if the Tigers aren't going to spend in free agency, they can at least try to get creative on the trade market this offseason. But the longer they wait, the harder it is to believe that they can do anything that will help them take a meaningful step in 2025.

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