Tigers Slugger Makes Sense as Potential Trade Target for Phillies

Which slugger from the Detroit Tigers would be a good fit for the Philadelphia Phillies?

Jun 1, 2022; Detroit, Michigan, USA; The scoreboard displays the Tigers logo in rainbow colors for pride month during the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Minnesota Twins at Comerica Park. | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies have been playing some very good baseball of late, but the team will likely be seeking some upgrades to help address a couple of areas of need. 

While being a contender might have felt like a long shot to start the season, the Phillies have been able to make quite the turnaround. Considering they had a (9-19) and the worst run differential in the league at one point, Philadelphia now being in the playoff hunt is impressive. 

However, while the team has played well, there is still quite a bit of work to do. Recently, the team had to place Adolis Garcia on the injured list, creating a major need for the team. While Garcia might not have been playing great, it further creates a need for the team in the outfield. 

Also, while offensive production in the outfield has been an issue, the team also has some holes in their infield offensively. Fortunately, Alec Bohm has been able to turn things around at the plate, but offensive production from the middle of the infield has been lacking. 

Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report recently wrote about potential landing spots for Gleyber Torres and named the Phillies as a potential spot. 

Torres Could Help Upgrade Lineup 

Detroit Tigers second baseman Gleyber Torres | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

As the Phillies look to identify areas that they can upgrade, second base will certainly be a spot that they consider. So far this season, Bryson Stott has slashed .230/.286/.385 with six home runs and 31 RBI. With an OPS below .700, the offensive production is clearly lacking. 

When looking at what Torres could potentially bring to the team, the Phillies could be getting a lot more at the plate than what they are currently receiving. While he did miss some time this year, Torres has been a good hitter for the Tigers when healthy. In 40 games, he has slashed 282/.394/.396 with four home runs and 18 RBI. 

Due to the struggles of Detroit, the Tigers could certainly entertain moving Torres this summer. The veteran is going to be a free agent at the end of the year, and like Tarik Skubal, it would be better for the team to get something for him rather than nothing if they aren’t going to contend for a playoff spot. 

While Detroit will be hoping to turn things around with Skubal coming back, they have dug themselves quite a hole in the standings, and being sellers might make the most sense for them if they continue on their trajectory.