There's no shortage of teams interested in Matthew Boyd as the trade deadline nears.
In the AL, the Yankees, Astros, Red Sox and Rays are all said to be interested. In the NL, the Dodgers, Braves, Padres and Cubs.
And that list is likely to grow ahead of July 31.
Tigers general manager Al Avila is rightfully asking for a lot for the 28-year-old southpaw, and likely won't move him unless he gets it. He said on Thursday he's waiting for better offers to start rolling in.
"Nobody's been overly aggressive," said Avila.
So, what exactly is Avila looking for in exchange for Boyd?
It's already been reported he asked the Yankees for 22-year-old All-Star second baseman Gleyber Torres, and asked the Astros for top prospect Kyle Tucker. Both teams said no.
But with Boyd pitching like a front-end starter on a contract that keeps him under control through 2022, Avila is shooting for the stars. Per the Detroit News, the Tigers are seeking "a big-league ready hitter and at least one top prospect (Double-A and up)."
Whether or not a trade comes to fruition, one thing's clear. The Tigers won't pull the trigger without getting an elite bat in return. Their rebuild is desperate for more hitters, particularly those with power. This is their best way to address that in the short-term.
For example, as MLB.com's Jon Morosi suggested Thursday, the Tigers could ask the Padres for either Hunter Renfroe or Franmil Reyes. Both outfielders are coming into their own this season. Renfroe, 27, is tied for fourth in the NL with 27 homers, while Reyes, 23, is tied for sixth with 25.
And that likely wouldn't be all. The Tigers would also want one of the Padres' top prospects -- they have eight of the top 100 in baseball -- such as shortstop/second baseman Luis Urias (No. 20 overall) or second baseman Xavier Edwards (No. 89 overall).
It's a lot to ask, no doubt, but Boyd is a lot to give up.
For the Tigers, Boyd's next few starts are important. He scuffled into the All-Star break, posting a 6.03 ERA over his last six starts (though he did continue racking up strikeouts).
He should get four more starts before the deadline, the first coming Saturday versus the Royals, and the Tigers could use some positive results.
