The first month of the season, Tigers' infielder Jonathan Schoop was one of the worst players in MLB.
He hit .198. His OPS was .514. His WAR was minus 1.1. Since then, Schoop has been remarkably productive, remindful of 2017 when he had a 6.5 WAR and placed 12th in MVP voting for the Orioles.
It's hardly a coincidence the Tigers emerged from what seemed like an endless malaise the same time Schoop caught fire. It makes Schoop, who will turn 30 in October, an obvious trade deadline possibility for the rebuilding Tigers. But at what cost?
Schoop did trend upward from 2015-17, but his career went off the rails during an injury-plagued 2018, and he's fallen into the category of a bargain-value veteran since.
It means a year-to-year process of finding a team with a good salary and a regular spot, but nothing long term nor really big bucks. Schoop was the rare Al Avila signing in this realm to pan out last season. Yet, he still didn't draw much interest at the trade deadline nor as a free agent. He took a pay cut from last year's pre-pandemic salary ($6.1 million down to $4.5 million) to return.
But it's evident Schoop has been much more impactful than anticipated. The Tigers' surprisingly rapid turnaround would not have been possible to this degree without him.
In this era of analytics, teams are more interested in future cost certainty than rental players. They aren't as interested in a one-game wild-card shot as they were when it involved a full series against a division champ. There are no redeeming prospects lost when the deadline-acquired free agents walk away.
Schoop will be exiting the age when an MLB player is typically in his prime.
Unless it is for a bargain salary again, it doesn't make sense to sign Schoop long term. Not for top-end money, anyway.
It would be unwise, though, for the Tigers to give Schoop away at the trade deadline. Schoop has value to the Tigers this season. The schedule gets much more difficult in August. The organization's rebuild would benefit at this stage by winning some games.
[shortcode-inline-related expand="1" link="/971theticket/sports/detroit-tigers/hinch-says-tigers-eyeing-sizable-returns-at-trade-deadline" headline="Hinch warns buyers ahead of deadline: "You have to pay for our guys"" image="/media-library/image.jpg?id=63579468"]The Tigers are just starting to gain creditability with a fanbase that had grown tired of inexcusable ineptitude even in the midst of retooling. Schoop has not only proven to be productive, but the consummate pro, sacrificing for the team by often playing of out of position at first base, which has driven his metrics down.
Unless there is an offer that is too good to be true, which means an actual prospect with a genuine chance of being an MLB regular some day, the right play would be to hold onto Schoop.
Seems as if he likes it here. The Tigers have every reason to like Schoop, too. He may ultimately prove to be a bridge to a brighter future. And that's important, often more so than taking a flyer on a mid-range prospect.
