2 Detroit Tigers trade rumors we hope come true, 1 we hope doesn't happen

Trade Deadline Day is finally here and the Detroit Tigers find themselves in a great position to cash in. In a trade market full of teams wanting/needing to upgrade their rosters for the stretch run of the 2023 season, the Tigers are one of the few teams that have a number of options available to sell in what is a very shallow market.

So far, the Tigers have slow played the trade deadline. When there was a flurry of activity that saw Lucas Giolito, Lance Lynn, Max Scherzer, and a host of other players find new teams, the Tigers chose to wait and see which teams could meet Detroit's price demands. Given how this market is looking, one cannot blame them for trying.

However, time is running out and soon it will become clear if the Tigers' gambit will pay off. One thing is absolutely certain, though: the Tigers are taking a lot of phone calls right now and will have a ton of attention being paid to them down to the wire at the deadline.

Here are 2 Tigers trade rumors we hope come true and 1 we hope doesn't

It seems like Tigers players are being mentioned all over the place in the trade rumor mill. Some of that is most assuredly just idle speculation from writers that don't actually know if there are actual connections. However, there is enough smoke around certain rumors to delve into them a bit more and see if they could really benefit Detroit when the dust settles this evening.

Let's take a look at some Tigers trade rumors that could turn out great for Detroit and one that could be a bit of a bummer.

Michael Lorenzen to the Orioles could turn out great for the Tigers

Michael Lorenzen has been a hot commodity at the trade deadline this year. A lot of the better starting pitchers on the trade market have already been moved and Lorenzen stands out as a rotation arm that has pitched pretty well this year, is a pending free agent on a reasonable contract, and is on a Tigers team that is actually willing to make a deal.

The question is finding the ideal suitor and the Orioles seem like the best bet for Detroit. Baltimore has been one of the better stories in baseball this season and they have shown interest in Lorenzen very recently. A number of teams could put together trade packages that would be very enticing for Detroit, but few could give them as many intriguing options as the Orioles.

Tigers fans hoping to get Jackson Holliday in a Lorenzen trade are going to be sorely disappointed, but Baltimore's farm system is incredibly deep. One of the benefits of being as bad as the Orioles were for as long as they were is that it makes it much easier to stockpile talent from the draft in the minors and Baltimore has done just that especially when it comes to up the middle position player talent.

Moreover, Baltimore should be highly motivated to go for it this year which lead them to overpay a bit. They have one of the more exciting young rosters in all of baseball and currently lead a brutally tough AL East by a game and a half. If the Tigers are looking for a team that could be willing to pay a premium to get Lorenzen and end a playoff drought, Baltimore is a pretty clear fit.

Trading Eduardo Rodriguez to the Dodgers would likely be disappointing for Detroit

Eduardo Rodriguez has been mentioned as a trade candidate for some time now thanks to his performance in the first half of the season where he was one of the better pitchers in baseball. While some of the shine has come off of him after his finger injury and subsequent struggles, he remains a top trade deadline target for a number of teams looking to upgrade their rotations.

One team that seems to have Rodriguez near the top of their wish list is the Los Angeles Dodgers. On the surface, the Dodgers being a motivated contender interested in Eduardo should be great news. However, a deeper look suggests that a trade with LA could end up being disappointing.

The problem here is Rodriguez's contract and what it could mean for his trade value. Rodriguez's ability to opt out after this season has many teams treating him like he is a rental on the market and that means a big dip in his trade value. For the Dodgers specifically, they would likely want to get Rodriguez at a lower rate because they would probably PREFER him to opt out given their obvious intention to go after Ohtani this offseason and wanting to save some money for that pursuit.

In the end, any trade involving Rodriguez is going to be weird unless the Tiger's trade partner could get some assurance that Eduardo would/would not opt in to his deal after the season. There is a chance that Rodriguez could agree to opt-in early and Detroit could then price in that team control with his trade value. If not, it could be tough to get teams on board with a trade that the Tigers would be happy with.