Tigers outfielder J.D. Martinez has been diagnosed with a sprain of the lisfranc ligament in his right foot, as MLB.com’s Jason Beck reports (Twitter links). He is not expected to re-start baseball activities for at least three to four weeks and will require a cast for seven to ten days.
That’s obviously not the best news for the Tigers, though it’s clearly preferable to a more significant injury. Martinez had been subjected to a stress CT scan to ensure the problem was limited to his ligament. As things stand, it seems he won’t miss too much time early so long as his rehab progresses smoothly.
Detroit is in something of an odd position entering the season: the organization announced its intentions to begin adding youth and trimming payroll costs, but only ended up dealing one veteran (Cameron Maybin) over the winter. As it stands, then, the club remains a plausible contender in the AL Central and continues to carry a variety of expensive players.
Among the core pieces of the current MLB roster, Martinez features as the most obvious potential trade candidate — at least, that is, if the Tigers aren’t in contention at the trade deadline. Martinez, 29, will be a free agent after the year, so Detroit will only be able to secure value in return if it deals him or makes him a qualifying offer at season’s end. (The organization has shown no inclination to engage in extension talks with Martinez this spring.)
Since coming to the Tigers, Martinez has turned himself into one of the game’s premier sluggers. He owns a .299/.357/.540 batting line with 83 home runs over the past three seasons. MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes recently rated Martinez sixth among pending free agents.
Any lost time from Martinez will cost Detroit on the field, though it’s possible his absence could alleviate some immediate roster pressures. The club has been weighing how to handle several out-of-options position players, including outfielders Tyler Collins and Steven Moya as well as infielder Dixon Machado. It’s now plausible to imagine all three cracking the Opening Day roster, though all three have struggled this spring and Jason Martinez of MLBTR and Roster Resource currently projects Machado to hit the waiver wire.
Detroit will now need to make decisions on need of filling two outfield jobs. In center, Collins could platoon with Mikie Mahtook or JaCoby Jones. With an impressive spring, Alex Presley may now be positioned take over in right, though he has yet to nail down a steady role in the big leagues despite plenty of opportunities over the past seven seasons. And the decision in right could depend upon how the club feels about affording chances to Moya, who was once viewed as a significant prospect.
This is actually some good news. It mean we can conceivably keep both Machado and Moya on the roster to see how both fair against MLB pitching
We have seen Moya face MLB pitching. Lots of Ks.
How is there no mention of Presley? Hitting .450 with a 1.300OPS?!!
Something, something spring training doesn’t matter.
Wasn’t intended as a comprehensive look at the roster, but I’ll beef it up.
Machado is doing great what u talkin bout?
I agree. Machado may not be doing great, but he is hardly struggling. If he hit ..250 plus in the regular season, that would be improvement from what they had on the bench last year.
To replace JD, Moya should get the first opportunity, not Presley. Moya would have to survive waivers. Presley does not. Presley’s history shows that there are really no teams more interested in him than the Tigers, or he would have signed with them. To add him to the 40, they would have to drop another player off (waivers) and them may still lose Moya because he is out of options. Possibly losing two players to have Presley on the team, when Moya may be no worse, or actually be better, makes no sense whatsoever. If Moya fails, Presley will still be waiting in Toledo.
No disrespect intended… Steven Moya has proven that he’s not a MLB talent. He doesn’t make contact and his defense hasn’t improved. He is having a terrible spring. I feel that Alex Avila, John Hicks and Moya are players that have played themselves off the roster. Conversely, Alex Presley and JaCoby Jones absolutely earned spots on the Tiger roster and should be on the team. This is the exact role Presley should play… Substitute and 4th OF.
I agree that Presley is no more than a 4th Of. He might even be better, at the moment. But he is not that much better. Keeping him just costs too much in the cost of other players. I would not trade Moya AND another player from the 40 man roster for Presley so he can platoon for 2 weeks while JD is on the disabled list. Either Moya or Presley will be sent down waivers when JD returns as the odd man out. Moya is more likely to sneak thru once everyone has their 25 man set. His defense has looked fine this spring.
Most likely scenario is Jacoby Jones in center, Collins and Mahtook in right and Moya gone. Machado, Romine and Avila on the bench.
Could Matt Szczur (out of options) for Justin Wilson make sense?
Chicago would have to give up more
Much more. Lets talk Blaine Hardy. Someone not likely to make Detroits team for someone not likely to make the Cubs team. Not our set up guy for someone with no options who’s not good enough to have a spot on your 25 man.
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Not a positive development. Lisfranc a disastrous injury. Best case it heals in a few months but all conditioning will be lost.
Moya not an option. Every fly ball becomes an extra base hit. Not even the peerless JV can strike out everybody.
That leaves Presley.
Bad deal.
Are you a doctor? The article states 3-4 weeks. It does not say months. Moya has NEVER been a terrible OF, and JD was the 2nd worst defensively in the majors last year. Its not like Detroit’s missing a gold glover. With the thin farm, they cannot just toss aside the few prospects that they have. Maybe his ceiling is a Brandon Moss type, rather than a superstar, but that’s still a useful player.