This move would change the trajectory of the Detroit Tigers, but it won't happen

Oh, Tigers. Just a few short days ago, we were excited and confident, and thought they stood a chance. One of the most underrated players in the MLB was allegedly being shopped by his team, and the Tigers, on paper, possessed the prospect capital to make the truly impactful move for the organization. We thought they could kick off their ideal offseason in a manner nobody expected. But once again, it feels like we've been delivered a gut punch.

The Houston Astros are allegedly shopping outfielder Kyle Tucker and starting pitcher Framber Valdez. Tucker is arguably one of the best left-handed hitters in the game today and feels like a perfect fit. The Tigers had a decent team last year but lacked power. Tucker brings power to the table. He is only 27 years old. There is so much potential there.

Tucker is an instant middle-of-the-order, fearful bat — something the Tigers need. Honestly, we were ready to send top prospect Max Clark to the Astros for the guy. That is the type of player he is. He hit .289 with 23 home runs last season. That was only half of a season of statistics as he dealt with a shin injury.

We want to continue to say all of the good things Tucker brings to the table, but we will not waste your time. This is simply because there is no way this organization will do this. They are noncommittal, uninterested, and simply unwilling to bring in talent of Tucker's caliber.

No matter how you slice and dice it, this was a playoff team last year, not a World Series team. Playoff teams always need help, and often a lot of it. This team is no exception. They need corner infielders, right-handed hitting power-hitters, and starting pitchers. How will they fix it?

Tigers Free Agency: What will it take for Detroit to make an impact?

The team's answer to the concerns above is to balk at Alex Bregman and Max Fried and sign 37-year-old Alex Cobb to an oddly expensive one-year deal. We understand the importance of veteran leadership, but $15 million for who is essentially a fourth starter in a decent rotation? Yikes. We say this with one caveat: if they continue to build up the team and show that Cobb is a minor addition, we will retract all of this, but the fear that as long as Chris Ilitch and Scott Harris are at the helm, that won't be the case. The more likely outcome is if Cobb is considered a move that is truly supposed to inject this team with new talent, fans should be outraged. We have seen uneventful offseason after uneventful offseason in Detroit and quite frankly it is getting sickening.

It is so hard to believe in a team that refuses to sign impact players to build around. It is hard to get excited when you have six unproven players and Javier Baez in your lineup. We are not saying give up, but holding your breath on this team to bust out a big move could prove fatal.