Tigers urged to reunite with slugging infielder ahead of trade deadline

There's a growing expectation that the Detroit Tigers will be looking to bolster their offense ahead of this year's MLB trade deadline in July. Already the best team in baseball, armed with a strong starting rotation and bullpen that has been thriving, the belief is that the Tigers could look to address their infield by adding some offense at third base. The struggles of Andy Ibáñez this season have only heightened the need that the Tigers may have at third base.

As is the case around this time of year, some trade ideas don't quite add up. For example, against ESPN's better wishes, the idea of the Tigers pursuing Bo Bichette definitely doesn't feel right. Assuming the Tigers do add a bat before the deadline, the overwhelming belief is that the bat would be slotted in to play third base. Shortstop is the only position that Bichette has played throughout his Major League career.

While we can set the idea of the Tigers being interested in Bichette to the side, Jason Beck of MLB.com listed an option that makes all the sense in the world. While highlighting that the Tigers will be in the market for a right-handed bat, Beck name-dropped Eugenio Suarez as an ideal deadline target.

Tigers reunion with slugging infielder is gaining momentum before deadline

Some may forget that Suárez's Major League career started with the Detroit Tigers in 2014. Signed as an international free agent in 2008, Suárez registered 277 plate appearances with the Tigers during his rookie campaign in 2014. That season, Suárez registered a .242/.316/.336 line with four home runs. In the years since, Suárez has become one of the more consistent power hitters in baseball.

Now with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Suárez is seemingly going to be one of the top rental bats available at this year's deadline. In 295 plate appearances this season, Suárez has 21 home runs. For a Tigers team looking to provide a boost to their offense, a reunion with Suárez is an obvious move that they must explore.

Adding Suárez was one of the moves Jim Bowden had the Tigers execute in his mock-up of six trades he would like to see ahead of the deadline. Bowden had the Tigers send prospects Jaden Hamm and Max Anderson to the Diamondbacks.

An organizational top-10 prospect, Hamm feels slightly rich as the center piece of a trade package for a rental bat, but in a seller's market and the threat of the New York Yankees also having interest in Suárez, it's not entirely impossible either. Still, with a World Series on their mind, the Tigers would likely make the deal if there were no other options.

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