For the first time since rebuilding in earnest, the Tigers are in position to make trades.
Real trades, not the type of deals general manager Al Avila was forced into after the Tigers collapsed in 2017.
Necessity no longer dictates the Tigers unload stars for prospects, wait out illogical long-term contracts and sign bargain-bin free agents with the hope they can be flipped at the trade deadline.
The Tigers have depth with some positions at the MLB and minor league levels, and are relatively thin at others. The great unknown about Avila is whether he is a capable trader. It certainly was a strength for his predecessor and long-time boss Dave Dombrowski, who traded for the likes of Miguel Cabrera, Carlos Guillen, Max Scherzer, Austin Jackson, Doug Fister, Placido Polanco, Jeremy Bonderman, Jhonny Peralta and David Price.
Tigers' fans have become intrigued by the MLB Draft and the resulting prospects. It's obviously the most important element to building a team. There is little doubt the Tigers are going to be riding Casey Mize, Tarik Skubal, Matt Manning, Riley Greene, Spencer Torkelson and Akil Baddoo into the foreseeable future. There has also been a noticeable desire by the fan base to spend money on free agents.
But the underrated aspect is trades. Even the '84 World Series title Tigers, led by a homegrown nucleus that put together 11 straight winning seasons and placed just a game shy of being the winningest team of the '80s, was enhanced greatly by trades. It wasn't only the unprecedented drafts that netted the likes of Lou Whitaker, Alan Trammell, Jack Morris, Kirk Gibson, Dan Petry and Lance Parrish that resulted in such success.
Centerfielder Chet Lemon was acquired for a first-round pick and solid MLB hitter, Steve Kemp. Cy Young and MVP closer Willie Hernandez was picked up as part of a deal that cost the Tigers first-round selection Glenn Wilson, an MLB-ready outfielder. A versatile left-handed hitter, Dave Bergman, was essentially exchanged for a versatile right-handed batter, John Wockenfuss, in the same trade. The Tigers acquired No. 3 starter Milt Wilcox in a cash trade, and dealt for setup man Aurelio Lopez and left fielder Larry Herndon.
The Tigers do have pieces to trade. Michael Fulmer and Matthew Boyd have been among the Tigers' few bright spots during some very rough years. Both have thrown well this season despite missing considerable time with injuries that don't appear to present long-term consequences. With Mize, Skubal and Manning leading the rotation, should the Tigers look to trade Fulmer and/or Boyd?
Fulmer has thrown the ball with enhanced velocity (top 16 percentile in MLB in '21, up 2.3 miles per hour from last season to 95.5 mph) and provided excellent value as a leverage reliever. His salary this season is $3.1 million, and figures to rise with arbitration as leverage. He is eligible for free agency after next season.
This is the offseason the Tigers either sign Fulmer, 28, to a multi-year deal or look to trade him. Boyd has been back in form this season. He is also eligible for free agency after next season, and is somewhat expensive ($6.5 million), and 30 years old. Like Fulmer, the Tigers must make a decision on Boyd.
They were acquired in trade deadline deals as prospects: Boyd with Daniel Norris from Toronto for David Price, Fulmer with Luis Cessa from the Mets for Yoenis Cespedes. After Miguel Cabrera, they are the longest-tenured Tigers' players.
There are multiple factors to consider in potentially moving Fulmer and/or Boyd.
First is pitching depth. There is a reason for the cliche, "You can never have too much pitching." It's so true.
Fulmer and Boyd are in their prime. It's possible they have yet to pitch their best baseball. Both have exceptional competitive character. They are leaders in the best possible way -- by example.
If the Tigers bump their payroll as anticipated, perhaps it should include signing Fulmer and/or Boyd beyond their free agency seasons, but it must be at reasonable cost and term. To quality MLB pitchers, becoming an unrestricted free agent is akin to finding gold.
One of legendary GM Branch Rickey's steadfast rules was to never trade a younger player for an older one. But keeping players wallowing in the minor leagues while there are needs at the MLB level doesn't fit, either. This is a welcome problem in a sense, but the better the Tigers' minor system becomes, the more difficult it will be to squeeze players on the 40-man roster.
It causes a dilemma with players such as Isaac Paredes, Willi Castro, Victor Reyes and Daz Cameron. Paredes and Castro have solid potential as hitters. Yet Paredes, because of his body type and skill set, is a third baseman. He is blocked there by arguably the Tigers' best player, Jeimer Candelario.
Castro struggles mightily as an infielder, but has enough athleticism and speed to move to the outfield. In Detroit, however, the outfield is crowded. It's why Reyes and Cameron are also potential trade pieces.
The ante has been raised, but at least the Tigers have some chips to throw in the pot. How they play their hand this offseason will go a long way in determining their future.
And trades, not free agency, will likely be the key.
