GM Al Avila made headlines earlier this week when he stated that changes were on the horizon for a Tigers team that “has been working way above its means for some time,” thereby implying that payroll needs to decrease, and he also added that the Detroit roster needs to get younger. While that doesn’t mean the Tigers will ship off cornerstones Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera, it does call into question the future of some players who are nearing the end of their time with the team, including J.D. Martinez, whom Avila says isn’t likely to be extended this winter, according to Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press.
“I don’t foresee any talks of a long-term contract at this point,” Avila said of Martinez. “In saying that, we’re going to keep an open mind in what possibilities come across this winter, this coming summer. I’m not going to rule out that we wouldn’t consider a long-term deal, but sitting here today, we’re not thinking that way right now.”
An extension of Martinez, who is slated to become a free agent next winter, would represent yet another $100MM+ commitment for the Tigers given the extent to which the 29-year-old has blossomed since signing in Detroit. Martinez has batted a combined .299/.357/.540 over the past three years and averaged 34 homers per 162 games played along the way. He missed nearly two months of the 2016 season with a fracture in his elbow but was improbably even better after his time on the DL, slashing .332/.392/.553 with 10 homers over his final 232 plate appearances (albeit with the help of an unsustainable .418 BABIP).
MLBTR’s Mark Polishuk recently examined the possibility of a Martinez extension, noting that his age and emergence as an offensive force could push his price point beyond the six-year, $132.75MM figure for which Justin Upton signed last winter (depending on whether or not the Tigers and Martinez’s agents worked an opt-out clause into the deal). That number may look jarring for a player who was released by Houston in Spring Training 2014, but since Opening Day 2014, Martinez rates as the game’s 13th-best hitter by measure of wRC+ (via Fangraphs), placing him alongside the likes of Giancarlo Stanton, Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Bautista and Kris Bryant. His defense, as Mark addressed in the aforementioned Extension Candidate piece, is another story, but Martinez’s bat comes with tremendous value.
As such, the possibility of Martinez’s entrance into the trade market this offseason shouldn’t be taken lightly. Fenech speculates that Martinez is the likeliest member of the Tigers to be traded this winter, as doing so would trim $11.75MM off the payroll and net the team some much-needed premium minor league talent. The Tigers, after all, have a pair of young outfielders that are out of minor league options next year in Steven Moya and Tyler Collins, both of whom will need to make the Opening Day roster or risk being exposed to outright waivers. Dealing Martinez would free up a much clearer path to a big league opportunity for either player.
Could look to move him
That’s such a dumb comment. First off- that cuts his trade value a little bit as it pretty much says, he’s not valuable enough to even consider extending which lets teams know that they want to trade him leading them to offer less. Second, it cuts morale for Martinez in knowing that the Tigers don’t want him potentially causing bad blood which could make the prospect earning potential even lower. While it may not be a crazy cut in value, it’s certainly not a smart thing to say publicly.
Lol what
What are you talking about? Cuts morale? Um, what?
Really? It cuts morale? That’s so stupid.
Its not a “dumb” comment. There’s not a GM out there that doesn’t realize the Tigers are fully extended on their payroll. Until the Tigers know whether Justin Upton is likely to opt out or not, they cannot even consider offering an extension. It doesn’t effect his trade value, or morale, and doesn’t even mean he is being offered in trade. It also doesn’t mean the Tigers don’t want him, or think he is not worth what he will cost. It just means not now, not yet.
Right on man! Keep the cards close to your chest.
So right.
Trade him for a haul
Yes please
There’s only 1 year and $11M left on his deal, so a haul might not be in that realm. I’d say a teams top 5 prospect and a couple lesser ones might get it done, or a trade for another walk year good player.
It doesn’t matter that there is only 1 year left on his contract. Teams will give up a haul for a 1/2 season rental.
That is true, sometimes. Still can’t believe what the Cubs gave up for Chapman, whos not even an everyday player.
Right!? Simply ridiculous. I’d only entertain it if the relief pitcher had multiple years.
That would be nice!
Bigkempin. I sure hope so
If JD is traded, I sure hope it’s not for a rental player who will also walk when the 2017 season ends. I would like him to stay, though. Perhaps demote Al A
With the Tigers talking about changing focus and direction, it looks like we have another elite bat on the market! Gotta love this early start on the trade market!
Rangers, Yankees look like an immediate fit. Giants maybe but Im not sure they have the prospects or players the Tigers would want.
Moya’s call up was Sept of 14 so he does not have to clear waviers until Sept of 17?
Collins was March of 14 so he would have to clear waviers for the 17 season.. Is this correct, as I thought the rule was 3 years after your first call up or is it the third season.
Both have been on the 40-man roster and optioned to Triple-A in each of the past three seasons. Each of those seasons counts as one option year, so they’ve both burned all three of their Minor League options.
It takes an option year when you’re sent to the minors for more than a certain amount of days (15?) in a given season after the player is on the 40 man. The actually date they were called up is irrelevant.
Perfect fit for the O’s. Hits for power, has good average and OBP, and plays a decent right field. Lets go Duquette, time to make a move.
Not sure how a -2.7 dWAR is decent…
They just watched Trumbo and Davis out there, forgive them if they forgot what decent looks like 🙂
I’m sure it’s better than what they’ve had the last 2 years and RF in Camden Yards is a bit easier to play because of the short porch in right
And what would the O’s be sending back Detroit’s way? I just don’t see the match, unless Britton is the main part of the return.
The package would include Sisco 2 other prospects.
Rather have Martinez than Braun on the Dodgers
If Martinez is willing to take an extension upon the trade, I’d do it.
However, all depends on what the Dodgers have to give up for these guys. If Braun is worth one good prospect money then I’d likely take Braun.
I have a feeling that this chat is about to turn into Braves fans offering Nick Markakis and one of their lesser pitching prospects for him.
Nope, ATL already has a bad defenseman in the OF that hits for power signed longer to less money and hits from the side of the plate we need him to (right: Kemp). No sense in giving up prospect depth for someone under 1 year of control. Already a crowded OF with Markakis, Kemp, Inciarte & Mallex Smith needing some time, not including the possible emergence in 2017 of Dustin Peterson (our minor league player of the year) – maybe even Jace Peterson if he keeps hitting when Albies assumes 2B at some point in ’17 (effectively becoming our Zobrist-swiss army knife).
sure, you can have Nick Markickass and Rio Ruiz and we will resign AJP and you can take him too..
As a fan of neither team. DET trading J.D. to Toronto for Urena and McGuire seems like it would make sense. TOR has natural replacements for both prospects in Pentecost and Bichette. DET has organizational weakness at catcher and the middle infield. Toronto can slot J.D. right in as their DH next year and not worry about EE. It’s a steep price so maybe DET throws in a reliever.
JD would probably not be pleased about being made a DH so early, no matter what his D metrics say. Now as a replacement for Bautista in RF, that makes more sense. Like the Jays as a landing place for him, they still are going to contend next year even after losing EE+Joey B.
Not sure who would want any of the Tigers relievers….
There is still hope that EE is staying put. There’s a lot of free agency money coming available next year in TO, not to mention Shapiro’s a new voice in the ear of management when it comes to asking for money. No way Toronto keeps both Bautista & Edwin. I don’t see Saunders coming back after the dismal second half this year & Careers is a platoon outfielder at best or he looses his punch at the plate.
That leaves holes to fill in the outfield for the Jays. It needs to be cost efficient if we are going to keep Encarnacion & the 6 is where he wants to be. JD might be to big of a price tag. I’m thinking a Revere reunion in left field & platoon Upton/Carerra in right field.
The Jays had the best attendance in the American League, that translates to $$.
Verlander (and full contract) for Soler, Zobrist (and contract), Happ, and Edwards Jr – I would like to see that type of a trade. Just trying to figure out how the Cubs are going to handle losing 60% of their rotation after next season. Anyone have any other ideal Cubs targets in either free agency or trades?
Zobrist and Verlander are definitely not being traded for any reason.
Care to elaborate? Or is it just Maddon/Zo’s relationship that would seemingly prevent this trade from happening? If Detroit is looking to shed salary, I do see a match there.
Zobrist was just signed to a 4 year deal and fits perfectly on that Cubs team – great teams like the 2016 Cubs rarely trade important pieces like Zobrist away, plus him and Maddon have that long history. It just makes no sense at all for the Cubs.
Verlander is the co-face of the franchise, no way him or Miggy ever play for another team. Verlander also has 5/10 rights and has said he wants to only be a 1-team guy.
Detroits only looking to shed JD’s salary.
I don’t see them wanting to “shed JD”s salary”. I see them wanting to shed the salaries of Anibal Sanchez, Mike Pelfrey, and Mark Lowe, but realizing that will be a tough sell. Hopefully, the trade market will be as short on pitching options as Free Agency is. JD is just the realistic option.
Could always package deal Anibal Sanchez and JD Martinez to shed some salaries, but then you’d acquire lesser prospects and still need to spend a lot in free agency to replace Martinez’s value.
After watching the Tigers miss the playoffs two years in a row, maybe Verlander would prefer moving a few hours from Detroit to Chicago.
Hahaha… Cubs giving up a marginal OF prospect, an OF Bust who can’t field or hit now, A super utility guy who is super expensive and going to be 36.. and a flash in the pan reliever who will go down with an arm injury for one of the best pitchers in the game… NICE!!
Wow, not one slight bit of butthurt going on here, I’m noticing. Okie doke. Everyone’s got opinions, I suppose.
why would I be but hurt.. what have the Cubs done? Soler is garbage, Happ is marginal, Zobrist will be 36..39 when contract is up.., and Edwards is the best piece coming back, but you don’t trade Verlander for that package, even if you are trying to cut salary…
that is saving about 5.5 mill for the next 3 years.. yippee…what are the Tigers getting? seriously. Stop putting Soler in trades.. don’t the Cubs know that ship has sailed.. he was tradable last year….
No one is going to give you a Cy young caliber pitcher for your cast offs.
That trade proposal that he mentioned doesn’t work for many reasons, but to claim that ‘Soler is garbage’, ‘Happ is a marginal prospect’ and ‘[Edwards] is a flash in the pan’ more than slightly undersells each of those players.
Its just a totally implausible trade man. Verlander was really great this season, he’s the staff ace, a 1-team player and has 5/10 rights to block any trade.
Under no circumstances are Detroit trading him. It would be like proposing the Giants trade Posey or the Nats trade Harper. You are wasting yours and everyones time.
I agree that trade isnt working, but it has absolutely nothing to do with that package of players you are wildly underselling.
Wow, arguments sure look stronger when you spin everything negatively to support your point and ignore anything negative about the other one!
Verlander for Jimenez, Baez, Happ and Zastryzny (sp). Only in our dreams….
You are a lot closer than the delusional cub fans. Eloy is a beast, Baez is riding inflated value… Happ will be a starter but not a star and Zastryzny is a nice throw in piece. The Tigers would have to eat some of the contract to cover Eloys/Happ/Baez surplus value, but that is more in line with what the Tigers should be asking for.
This post is most likely sarcastic or hyperbolized, but in case it’s not, this is a mega overpay for Verlander.
Trade JD if you must, but do not mistake Steven Moya for a baseball player. He isn’t. He just isn’t. There’s nowhere you can hide him. He literally cannot catch easy fly balls. If you let him bat 500 times he might hit 20 HR and fan 200 times.
Moya has a good throwing arm, but definitely needs work in the OF. He is a power lefty bat and could replace Victor in a year. If they are going to trade JD, they would need at least a platoon OF to go with Collins. Of course, they may feel that JaCoby Jones might be an option, but I think both he and Moya need more time in the minors to get their swing down. Either one will have growing pains.
Trading JD to clear room for Collins or Moya doesn’t make sense. Moya does not have nearly the bat of JD and is equally as bad defensively. I certainly see JD being traded though. The Tigers want to get better defensively and better on the base paths, so it makes sense. I see Moya as a trade chip to get a back up infielder or as a package to get relief pitcher. I just don’t see Moya in the long term plans. Collins is just a backup outfielder at best
I agree Collins and Moya are not keepers. JD, compared to Moya, is Al Kaline or Roberto Clemente.