Failed Dodgers-Eduardo Rodríguez 2023 trade deadline deal could save Tigers future

Last year, the Tigers tried to pull off a trade at the deadline that probably would've looked a lot like the one that sent Jack Flaherty to the Dodgers this year. Eduardo Rodríguez was the pitcher in question and, like Flaherty, he'd enjoyed a nice bounce back year with the Tigers and was technically in a walk year, as he had an opt-out he could exercise at the end of the 2023 season.

The Dodgers were the buying team in both scenarios, hoping to add another starting pitcher as they headed into an inevitable postseason run. When Rodríguez was the player on the block, both teams had already agreed to the terms of a trade, but Rodríguez exercised his no-trade clause, saying his family enjoyed being in Detroit.

He left in free agency anyway, going to the Diamondbacks for four years and $80 million. That hasn't quite worked out for Arizona this year; Rodríguez started the season on the IL and just made his first start on Aug. 7, pitching 5 2/3 innings and giving up three runs.

So what was supposed to be the Tigers' biggest trade deadline move in 2023 was foiled, but it might've actually worked out in the Dodgers' favor. Hidden in a long-winded and slightly rambling Jon Morosi tweet was actual reporting, which revealed that now-Yankees prospect Jorbit Vivas would've been sent to the Tigers for Rodríguez.

Eduardo Rodríguez blocking 2023 trade to the Dodgers actually worked out in the Tigers' favor

Vivas didn't end going to the Dodgers, so he went to the Yankees instead in December 2023, in exchange for shortstop prospect Trey Sweeney. Sweeney only ended up spending a few months in the Dodgers system before he was being packaged up with Thayron Liranzo and sent to Detroit in exchange for Flaherty at the deadline this year.

Vivas is still in Triple-A with the Yankees. He was called up for a three-day spell this season but didn't get his major league debut before he was sent back down. He's dealt with an injury this season that necessitated a Single-A and High-A rehab stint and has been struggling in Triple-A across 58 games, with a .242 average and .374 slugging.

Meanwhile, Sweeney's been killing it in Triple-A with the Tigers. He's played nine games in Toledo since the trade deadline and is batting .400 with a monstrous 1.133 OPS, and he could be the Tigers' heir apparent to shortstop if they ever work up the courage to cut Javy Báez.

So, in a weird, roundabout way, Rodríguez staying in Detroit last year worked out for everyone except the Diamondbacks and Yankees. Rodríguez got the $80 million bag he wanted and probably won't even pitch more than 30 innings this year, the Dodgers tried again and got Flaherty, who's looked good for LA since the trade, and the Tigers ultimately got the better crop of prospects.