Could Detroit Tigers Gain Valuable Leader By Trading for Atlanta Braves Slugger?
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The Detroit Tigers have the best record in the MLB at 41-23, and they’ve done so with one of the youngest rosters in baseball.
With an average age of 27.6 years , the Tigers are firm contenders and thereby buyers ahead of the trade deadline.
As the next two months play out, Detroit is positioned with a well-rounded roster that could use a few boosts to solidify a World Series run.
The youth on their roster makes the Tigers a prime candidate to trade for ready contributors.
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If president of baseball operations Scott Harris has a holistic perspective on success, he may value intangibles as much as statistics.
That could lead to a trade for Atlanta Braves veteran All-Star Marcell Ozuna.
Could Marcell Ozuna Be the Missing Piece for Detroit Tigers' Postseason Run?
While Detroit is a well-oiled machine entering June, they do have some areas that could use some help.
They are ninth in the league with 74 home runs, but more than half of those have come from the trio of Spencer Torkelson (14), Riley Greene (13), and Kerry Carpenter (13).
Now, with Carpenter being the team’s designated hitter, the positional need isn’t entirely there.
However, Carpenter also splits time at right field. The Tigers are No. 12 in baseball for fWAR at designated hitter, while Atlanta is fifth at that position.
They’re No. 19 in the league for fWAR at right fielder. That could provide an opening for something none of the starters can offer: veteran experience.
DH Marcell Ozuna played a significant role in the Braves’ 2021 World Series victory, and the 34-year-old could potentially be on the trade market.
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If so, Bleacher Report lists Ozuna as a coveted asset.
"In Marcell Ozuna alone, though, Atlanta could introduce one heck of an unexpected variable into this year's deadline proceedings," Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller wrote.
Ozuna would bring power as he’s slashing .272/.413/.455 with a 145 OPS+, 29 runs, 27 RBI, 10 home runs, and 49 walks to 57 strikeouts.
That’s a higher OPS+ than any starter for Detroit.
The short-term rental of Ozuna is a strong fit, as he’s seven years older than the team’s average age. He has invaluable experience in a postseason run.
In return, the Tigers have plenty of youth in their farm system, with prospect Troy Melton recently named a possible candidate.
Harris could bolster his talented young players with crucial leadership from a veteran like Ozuna without a giant haul in return.
Maddy Hudak is the deputy editor for Tulane on Sports Illustrated and the radio sideline reporter for their football team. Maddy is an alumnus of Tulane University, and graduated in 2016 with a degree in psychology. She went on to obtain a Master of Legal Studies while working as a research coordinator at the VA Hospital, and in jury consulting. During this time, Maddy began covering the New Orleans Saints with SB Nation, and USA Today. She moved to New Orleans in 2021 to pursue a career in sports and became Tulane's sideline reporter that season. She enters her fourth year with the team now covering the program on Sports Illustrated, and will use insights from features and interviews in the live radio broadcast. You can follow her on X at @MaddyHudak_94, or if you have any questions or comments, she can be reached via email at maddy.hudak1@gmail.com