One Tigers Slugger Could Be Trade Candidate if Season Slips Again
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The Detroit Tigers have rebounded a bit from what was a very ugly start to the year, but they still have a ways to go if they are going to be considered the World Series contenders they hoped they were.
Hovering right around .500 after coming back down to earth following a winning streak, the season from here could go in any number of directions. The wish of fans, of course, is that things start to click on offense, the pitching staff hits its stride, and Detroit is off to the races.
The red flags shown to this point, though, indicate that it is possible the Tigers wind up falling well short of where they thought. If that is the way things play out, some very difficult decisions are going to have to be made when July rolls around.
Much of that narrative with the trade deadline will revolve naturally around Tarik Skubal, however there is another name on this team who could make sense to be dealt to a contender for a very solid return. Set to hit free agency after the year again, second baseman Gleyber Torres could make a ton of sense for a lot of teams.
Tigers Could Consider Gleyber Torres Trade if They Sell
Torres came back to Detroit on the qualifying offer after signing a one-year deal last year, which obviously was a welcome boost, but will once again have him hitting the open market again by the time the season comes to an end.
With the amount of young, talented infield prospects and guys who have already made the next step in the big leagues, the reality around Torres is that his days playing second at Comerica Park are likely numbered.
The Tigers will not be the team to give him a long-term deal, and even though he has produced during his time in Detroit, Torres is absolutely a trade asset if things go south and this team decides to sell.
What Torres Could Fetch Tigers in Trade
A lot of this answer depends on how Torres produces ahead of the trade deadline, right now posting a pedestrian slash line of .244/.371/.302 as the power has yet to come along. Assuming the 29-year-old gets back to similar production from a year ago though, tons of teams would have interest.
While rental pieces are not going to command the very top of team's farm systems, Torres could absolutely wind up being dealt in exchange for a solid prospect or two if Detroit has teams lined up making calls for him.
In an ideal world, this never becomes a discussion, but if it does, Torres is someone who should be seen as a Tigers top trade candidate if they do end up selling at the deadline.
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Michael Brauner is a 2022 graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in Sports Media. He covers various MLB teams across the On SI network and you can also find his work on Yellowhammer News covering the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers as well as on the radio producing and co-hosting 'The Opening Kickoff' every weekday morning on 105.5 WNSP FM in Mobile, Alabama.