Should the Detroit Tigers bring this former outfielder back in a trade?

Rumor has it that a former Tigers outfielder could be on the trade market this offseason.

The Philadeplhia Phillies are reportedly open to the idea of trading OF Nick Castellanos, according to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand. They could be looking to move his contract and replace him with someone a bit cheaper.

Castellanos is still owed $60 million over the next three years — that's $20 million a year. Based on history, the odds that Chris Ilitch would be willing to take on a contract like that don't seem very high.

It's also important to remember how Castellanos' time in Detroit ended. He had his gripes with Comerica Park's old dimensions, and just really didn't want to be here anymore. However, with the new dimensions at the ballpark, perhaps he'd be willing to change his tune.

Castellanos' approach also doesn't fit what the Tigers want to do, which is dominate the strike zone. We all know Nick is a free swinger. He's going to chase, swing and miss, and won't draw a whole lot of walks.

However, if you throw him a mistake pitch, he won't miss it. After a down year in 2022, he came back with 29 home runs and a 109 wRC+ in 2023. His power would be a welcome addition to the Tigers lineup.

Personally, I would love having Nick Castellanos back in Detroit. He is a veteran power hitter, and the Tigers desparately need one of those. He will not provide any value defensively, but the bat would be worth it. If worse comes to worse, he's your full-time DH.

But again, I just don't see this happening. The Tigers believe they aren't in a position to make a move like this. They are going to focus on players they can optimize.

It's fun to think about bringing Castellanos back, but it doesn't seem very likely.