What a Tigers-Pirates trade involving Spencer Torkelson might look like

Detroit needs pitchers. Pittsburgh needs a first baseman. Who says no?

Emma Lingan

Division Series - Detroit Tigers v Cleveland Guardians - Game 5 / Jason Miller/GettyImages

Four years after they drafted him with the No. 1 overall pick, it remains decidedly unclear where the Detroit Tigers stand on first baseman Spencer Torkelson.

The 25-year-old brings some pop and some clutch hits to the Tigers' lineup, but he has struggled to stick at the Major League level over the past three seasons. He was solid during his most recent call-up from Triple-A Toledo and contributed – albeit sporadically – to the Tigers' stretch run that launched them into playoff contention, but his inconsistent past makes it hard to argue that he has locked down his spot as Detroit's everyday first baseman.

At his postseason press conference, Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris did little to mitigate the doubt and uncertainty around Torkelson's future with the organization, which gives us reason to believe that he could be on the trade block if the right offer came along.

What a Tigers-Pirates trade involving Spencer Torkelson might look like

Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer identified Torkelson as Detroit's "most likely trade" during the 2024-25 offseason. Despite the hits that his trade value has taken during his three turbulent seasons with the Tigers, Rymer points out that Torkelson is still young and not even eligible for arbitration until 2026, which could add to his appeal on the trade market.

Rymer lists the Arizona Diamondbacks, Boston Red Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates as three teams that could be a potential fit for Torkelson. The Pirates in particular present an intriguing possibility, given that they have a wealth of pitching depth and the Tigers, well, don't.

The Tigers' "organized chaos" approach to their pitching staff may have worked this year, but it's unlikely to be sustainable for seasons to come. If the Tigers want to remain competitive, they need to add some more quality starters behind Tarik Skubal, especially since they appear to be moving on from Casey Mize.

Enter Pittsburgh. The Pirates' system is stacked with talented, young arms on the cusp of breaking into the big leagues and would fit nicely into Detroit's competitive window. While it's unlikely that the Pirates would be willing to part with their top prospect in Bubba Chandler – and if they were, the Tigers would have to sweeten the Torkelson pot with another impact bat or two – pitching prospects like Braxton Ashcraft or Thomas Harrington could be intriguing options to offer Detroit.

The Pirates also need bats, and they have a hole at first base, so a trade for Torkelson could be a win-win for both sides. It remains unclear whether Harris will be shopping Torkelson this winter, but if he is, he should give Pirates GM Ben Cherington a call.

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Emma Lingan

Emma Lingan is an MLB Staff Writer for FanSided primarily covering the Pittsburgh Pirates. She has been covering baseball for more than a decade dating back to her time as a student at Wake Forest University, and she has won two gold medals as a member of the U.S. National Team delegation (2016 Pan-American Championships & 2017 World Baseball Classic). A native of Washington, D.C. and current resident of Nashville, Tenn., she is also entering her seventh season as a credentialed NHL media member and currently covers the NHL’s Nashville Predators for The Hockey News. When she's not watching hockey, baseball or football, she enjoys podcasting, reading, going to the gym, consuming large amounts of coffee and taking long walks with her dog, Minkah. You can follow her @Emma_lingan on Twitter and Instagram.