Justin Wilson has been among the most talked-about assets on the trade market, and the sheer volume of updates on the expansive market for his services is enough to warrant its own dedicated post with the deadline looming. Here’s the latest on the Tigers southpaw, who currently boasts a 2.75 ERA with 12.6 K/9, 3.7 BB/9 and a 36.1 percent ground-ball rate…
- It seems the list of possible suitors isn’t getting any shorter just yet. To the contrary, the Indians have also asked about Wilson’s price tag, according to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick (via Twitter). Cleveland is down a lefty after losing Boone Logan.
Earlier Updates
- The Yankees have joined the pursuit of Tigers lefty Justin Wilson, reports Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press. It was New York that traded Wilson to the Tigers in the first place (for righties Chad Green and Luis Cessa), and while the Yanks have already beefed up their ’pen with the additions of David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle, they appear further interested in adding a shutdown lefty. The Tigers, though, are aiming extremely high in talks for Wilson, with Fenech suggesting that they’re seeking an Aroldis Chapman -esque return for Wilson. While the 29-year-old Wilson is earning a bargain $2.7MM salary and can be controlled through 2018 via arbitration, that’s still a sky-high ask. The Cubs sent Gleyber Torres, Billy McKinney, Adam Warren and Rashad Crawford to New York in exchange for Chapman last summer.
- The Astros could be the most focused team on Tigers southpaw Justin Wilson, reports ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick (via Twitter). Wilson has leapfrogged Orioles closer Zach Britton on the Astros’ list of targets, though all indications are that the ask on Wilson is extremely high. Houston is hardly alone in its pursuit of Wilson and has yet to definitively separate itself from the pack, however, per Crasnick (Twitter links). There are at least six teams still in on Wilson, with the Nationals “strongly” in the mix. Lastly, Crasnick tweets that the odds of a package deal sending Wilson and Justin Verlander to a team “are not good” due to the complex nature of such negotiations.
- FanRag’s Jon Heyman writes that the Brewers, Astros and Red Sox were recently considered to be the leaders in the Wilson sweepstakes, though others are in on him as well. Heyman lists the Cubs, Rockies, D-backs, Dodgers and Nationals as other potential landing spots in a trade.
Wilson to the Yankees doesn’t pass the sniff test to me. They Yankees literally have 6 high end relievers that can get both RH and LH out. There is no reason to go after Wilson.
… What do they figuratively have?
Tommy Kahnle, David Robertson, Chad Green, Aroldis Chapman, Dellin Betances Adam Warren, Caleb Smith and Luis Cessa on the ML roster.
In the MiL roster, Jonathan Holder, Chasen Shreve, … and I forgot the rest.
Cessa,Green,Betances,and Chapman are part of the reason they’re 9-19 in one run games. That is why they made the trade last week,because if they would of just played .500 ball they’d be sitting alone at the top of the east.
While Wilson is useful for any team including the Yankees, could they supposedly be in the hunt just to increase the cost for say Boston or Tampa? The money he makes certainly makes sense for even Tampa.
lets be real here,,,you can’t lose hicks, castro, holliday, and even fowler all at the the time and expect to keep that pace,,that had plenty to do with the losing streak.
Green has nothing to do with that. He has been a stud this year!
And CC and Chapman were out also.
The starters not getting past 5 innings is the problem that and the relievers having to pitch every day is why the Yankees are 9-19 in one run games
That crew was in a big slump. They’re doing much better now. Wilson is a luxury.
Green, Warren, Robertson, Kahnle, Betances, Chapman. Very literal.
Agreed Yanks should be focused on trying to finish a deal with Oakland to get Gray.
Cashman is driving up the price. There are many ways of weakening one’s opponents.
you weaken opponents by making the seller stronger? then NET talent on your team stays the same, and the seller could be a contender in the next seasons so, there’s really not much of a point in that.
When your opponents are in the same division you do. Weaken the farm of the Sox and Rays is great for the Yanks.
As a Sox fan, I agree totally. it’s called gamesmanship. remember when the Yankees tried to block Canseco from going to Boston and had to take him?
How’s that for a thought… Jose Canseco, Yankees World Series Champion, Donald Arthur Mattingly, no.
Anyone the Sox go after so do the Yankees that’s the way it goes in the east and that’s ok Yankees need starting pitching so till they get that they won’t be betting the Astros right now
It should be pointed out that the Tigers should wait until 5 minutes before the deadline to make a deal. Be willing to make no deal and watch the bids go up. No need to HAVE TO trade him.
How many times do you need to post this, BG. Wait til you get what you want, but don’t get caught because teams went elsewhere.
Sorry get confused by this site and MLIVE. Posted on both.
Wilson for fedde, both kiebooms and Stevenson
Not happening. Why would the Nationals overpay for what would be a fifth lefty for their bullpen?
Is fedde even gonna make it? HaveNT seen him before
Wilson for Green and Cessa.
Right after this 3 team trade. Didi to Dbacks. Shane Green to Yankees. Robbie Ray to Tigers
Lol!
I can’t see the Yankees getting Wilson your trade make some sense but wrong teams involved. scratch the Yankees…add Brewers/Cubs/Royals….maybe BoSox
No way the Yankees trade Green. He has been their best pitcher in. The bullpen this year.
Seckert15. That went over your head *wooossshhh*. Two offseasons ago the tigers dealt green and Cessa to NY for Wilson. I guess you didn’t get the joke…..
Wilson to the Astros makes the most sense to me. However, if the Tigers really are looking for as big of a haul for Wilson as they claim, that may rule the Astros out as Luhnow won’t panic and drastically overpay. I still think the Astros end up with Britton though
Better deal, how about for Houston. Ozuna, Straily, Ramos for Musgrove, Fisher, Moran, Marte, Bukauskas, and some other lower tier prospects and this deal is done. They are loaded with prospects they wouldn’t notice it. So be bold make this deal and they can shorten the game to five innings. Thanks for the opp., to be a GM for the Houston Astros.
Haha it’s fun to think about, but that deal would never happen. Additionally, Bukauskas can’t be dealt anyways since he was just drafted.
Seems pretty light for the Marlins. And Moran is still talked about like a top prospect even though he isn’t, not to mention the fact that the Marlins traded him a few years ago when his value was much higher than it is now.
Plus Bakauskas isn’t eligible to be traded anyway
That’s the worst trade ever! The Astros got rid of Straily 2 seasons ago.
Straily had a run with Houston, didn’t go well, and it was with our pitching coach we still have. If he’d pitched under someone else, maybe but if Houston is going to add a SP it’ll have to be a significant upgrade over our 3-5 guys and Straily isn’t any better than what we have now.
And the other issue with this offer is Ozuna. I don’t see a fit for him in Houston and I don’t think Houston can move Fisher right now with Springer out. With his performance, Fisher looks to have made himself too valuable to move for this year and the future.
I think Ramos would be great in the pen, but Houston balks at Fisher, Musgrove, Tucker and Whitley in any deal.
Musgrove might have found a home in the bullpen and it wouldn’t surprise me if he becomes the setup guy. His stuff is really good for a bit, but he doesn’t adjust well as the game progresses and he can’t make it past the 5th or 6th innings.
Houston will add a LH to the pen for certain….. might not be any of the names we’ve been hearing though.
My sleeper pick for left handed bullpen piece to the astros is
Luhnow has already said he is not trading for offense. Straily isn’t the type of pitcher they need since he likely doesn’t make a difference in the playoffs. Ramos isn’t that good and they want a left handed pitcher. Bukauskas can’t even be traded. Next
Isn’t Luhnow the same guy that traded Velasquez, Oberholtzer, Eshelman, Mark Appel, and Harold Arauz for Ken Giles? If he deems it worthwhile, he will overpay… by a lot it seems.
That wasn’t a bad trade for Houston. If they had VV instead of Giles, he would be in the bullpen or Fresno, he has an ERA of over 6!
The only player I regret losing in hindsight is Eshelman.
Luhnow took Appel over Bryant. A yes later, he traded Dexter Fowler for Luis Valbuena to fill the hole Bryant would have filled. A few months later, he traded Domingo Santana, Brett Phillips, and Josh Hader for Calor Gomez to fill the hole created by Fowler.
Technically he traded santana, hader for gomez. Phillips was for Fiers. Yes that was a bad deal lol. And move on about appel over bryant. If luhnow listened to the crowd he’d have buxton instead of correa, a pick they criticized him for
He also took Correa over Buxton, signed all of the talent this offseason to take us to the top, and had a heck of a draft.
Velasquez has been terrible outside of a few games and is likely headed to the bullpen soon. Obie was DFA’d . Appel is not even in the phillies top 30 prospects anymore lol. Arauz is pitching well but no one will cry about trading a RP prospect. Sure Giles hasn’t been very good, but what did the Astros miss out on? They also got Jonathan Arauz, who has potential but likely won’t turn out to be much.
Edit: ah forgot about Eshelman. He’s been good but with his stuff his ceiling isn’t all that high; relies on his amazing command. Don’t see how it is an overpay for a young closer
Wilson is great. Cubs got Chapman as a rental for top prospects. Wilson is not a rental, so why is that a sky-high asking price? Whoever writes for mlbtr, wow. Will take some great prospects to get him, and rightfully so.
Because while Wilson is good, he’s nowhere near as good as Chapman and has nowhere near the track record that Chapman carried at the deadline. Chapman is a generational relief talent. Wilson is a good reliever having his best year.
In that case, verlander should be the highest sought starter then?
Past performance means little.
It’s as if you only want to focus on things that serve your point while completely ignoring the rest of the reality. Verlander, like Chapman, is a generational talent. The difference is that Chapman was still performing at that level at the time of the trade; Verlander is not. Worse, Verlander is going to be paid like the generational talent for the next couple years…
Basically, if you put Verlander’s track record with Wilson’s performance, you’d get a Chapman like return… but one without the other won’t do it.
Verlander with 2.77 era last 4 starts. He still has it. Numbers aren’t always indicatI’ve of a guys ability. Look at quintana from the white sox. Terrible numbers for white sox. Goes to Cubs and dominates. Verlander is not a strong contending team..if you dont think he’s still a 3.00 era type of pitcher…..God help you
That’s cherry picking at its finest what about JVs other 16 starts? That contract is an albatross, even if it is only for two more years
Of course tigers will have to eat some, but verlander still very good
Numbers don’t tell the story all the time. Especially for guys playing on non-contending teams and have enjoyed a big pay day already. The incentive to keep performing at a high level on a non-contending team is gone because well, your not contending, and you already had a giant pay day.
“Verlander with 2.77 era last 4 starts. He still has it.”
Got small sample size? You have to ignore quite a bit of poor pitching to conclude that he still “has it.”
“Numbers aren’t always indicative of a guy’s ability.”
Then why did you bother citing them above?
“Look at Quintana from the White six. Terrible numbers for the white sox. Goes to Cubs and dominates.”
Once again, small sample size. How many starts has he made for the Cubs? Plus he’s an AL pitcher moving to the (no DH) NL and playing for a much better team. Of course he’s gonna perform better.
” . . . If you don’t think he’s still a 3.00 era type of pitcher . . . God help you.”
What a stupid way to conclude an ambitiously stupid argument. Thanks for playing.
Uh, I actually watche’d those games where verlander has a 2.77 era. He still throws close to 100 and can hit that number when he wants to. He still has filthy secondary stuff. Any real scout will tell you he still is very good. If you don’t think so, you’re clearly clueless and should not even comment on this situation.
Now, go play with your little bouncy ball somewhere else because I was never playing in the first place, little one.
Verlander hasn’t been a “3.00 type of pitcher” for years!! His FIP hasn’t dipped below 3.28 since 2012. To make a claim like that based on a tiny sample of 4 starts is delusional.
So everyone who disagrees with you is “clearly clueless and should not comment on this situation”. Nope. World doesn’t work that way.
“Now go play with your little bouncy ball somewhere else because I was never playing in the first place, little one.”
Heh. You really oughta do the homework on me before opening your impotent yap. Same handle for the last twenty years. Urine well over your head, kiddo.
He has a 4.22 FIP and a 4.79 chip this year. At 34 years old, there’s every reason to be concerned that this is the beginning of the end for him as a top-tier starter. Can he still flash and be the guy you remember? Sure. But for $28 mil per year, he won’t do it nearly enough.
Dude, you’ve gone from being fractally wrong to insulting, careful. I love JV, but his FIP is higher than since 2006, while his FB is the only plus pitch in his arsenal any more, and his walk rate is the highest its ever been. He hasn’t touched 100 mph since 2015…where are you getting your information??
For the Tigers trading Verlander now would be so dumb. A strong second half would change a lot of
things.
Out of 150 starters in mlb Verlander was tied for 19th in quality starts when I checked two days ago. Talk about using small sample sizes, using ERA or FIP on 20 starts is foolish in determining performance if taken alone. They are averages that can be seriously distorted by a few outliers. Three terrible starts against Cleveland did that to Verlander in addition to the worst bullpen in baseball in April and May letting a lot of his runners left on base scoring.
It is not an albatross contract either. The going rate for elite 34-36 year old pitchers in $35-$42 MM. See Grienke and Scherzer. Try getting one to sign a two year deal for $28 MM at age 34. Good luck.
Is Verlander performing at a Cy Young pace. No. But nobody does every month of every year. My contention is he is performing within the standard deviation of an elite pitcher over the course of their career. His last 4 games and velocity are reasons to believe he is returning to his norm.
Greinke and Scherzer?? They are both 33, and both pitching at an elite level. JV has been pretty decent, not elite this season. And I was talking about his FIP over the last several years, but 20 starts is in any case a better sample than 4.
The Tigers could decide who won the WS. Trade Verlander and Wilson to the Nats–Scherzer, Strasbourg and Verlander with Wilson in the pen equals WS championship. Tigers trade with the Dodgers–Kershaw, Verlander and Wood with Jensen and Wilson in the pen equals WS champions. Astros and Cubs same situation! Make the move AA!
Would it help if ESPN glorified wilson?
Only if he plays for the Cowboys or Cavs.
Hate both
Additionally, his walks per 9 are at a career worst. His gb% is right around his career worst. His hard hit contact numbers are a career worst. And his Babip against is actually low for a guy that has only generated soft contact 15% of the time and who gives up a line drive 25% of the time.
His traditional numbers are bad. His metrics are much, much worse.
If you can find the sucker at the table, then by all means… but your comps are wrong and ridiculous.
Chapman pre-trade – 2.01 ERA. 1.93 FIP. 220 ERA
Wilson now – 2.75 ERA. 3.23 FIP. 159 ERA .
The k/9 are identical. Chapman destroys him everywhere else.
Btw, Wilson’s numbers are identical to Chapmans last year. Chapman just has a bigger name.
Bigger name because he has a longer track record. The Cubs were confident that Chapman would continue to pitch like he had been because there was more evidence to suggest he would. There’s no such evidence with Wilson. He could go back to being average real fast because that’s what he’s always been prior to this year – average.
wilson is under contract next season. That fact alone is worth two top.100
No, it isn’t. Where do you get the notion that a lefty reliever with all of 14 saves to his name is worth not one but two top prospects??
tazawa is under contract next season too…..
And higher mph!
I wish they would stop listing the Cubs as a potential team in trade talks
Well… they are. The lack of an elite prospect doesn’t mean they don’t have pieces that could be dealt. Happ and Almora could be moved and both were top 100 prospects prior to losing their prospect status this year. Candelario was also on that list.
Certainly albertos will be involved
Care to elaborate? Let me guess, cause the Cubs are out of it this year? I don’t think they will get Grey or Darvish but they are not done yet.
The Chapman return cannot realistically be used as a comparable for any sane trade.
The Cubs were in a unique position of having more prospects than they needed and staring 108 years of futility in the face.
They overpaid. By a lot. Period. For a rental. It worked. Good for them.
But, that was a unique set of circumstances.
They gave up two top 100, and 1 being a top 50. For a rental, yes, that’s an overpay. Not for a guy that is not a rental.
Wilson to the rays for gillaspie and hu….. oh wait
The Chapman trade will never happen again and for any writer or person in management to use it, is not paying attention. It was a confluence of several factors at the perfect moment. You had a team that hadn’t won a WS in over 100 years and a prospect that was shooting up the charts (Torres). Everything was right at that exact moment for the trade to happen. Frankly, as been written in many places, it was pure brilliance on the part of the Yankee GM. Sure the Cubs paid up, but I think the Indians paid more for Miller. And not to discredit the Cubs GM, they won the WS, so the cost of the trade is largely irrelevant now.
The Padres got Margot (I think 88 or 89 out of 100 at the time) for Kimbrel and again, he had a closer pedigree.
Wilson might bring back a top 60-80 prospect (or a teams 3rd or 4th type of deal) and another complimentary piece. That’s all.
Your.low ball offer would be laughed at.
Apparently it wasn’t clear. My apologies. A Wilson trade will likely bring back a top 60-80 prospect (which might rate as a #3 in some teams system) and another complimentary piece. 2 for 1 type of deal. That’s all.
I mean Robertson and Khahle cost the Yanks Rutherford who would be any teams #3 or #4 prospect not named the Yankees. So I can’t see how Wilson would produce a greater return than that. Plus the Sox obtained Clarkin another former 1st rounder.
You’re way overvaluing Rutherford..#5 on the Whit Sox. He seems to be like the Clinton foundation,nothing of substance.
Ha ha ha. That’s a good one!
No, the JD deal was a low ball offer–I’d say the above deal sounds about right.
I see Wilson fetching an organization’s top four and a lotto ticket or two.
He’s not Chapman, Wilson is good but Chapman is a top five closer in MLB.
Wilson is a late innings bullpen pitcher with good, not great, stuff that is more adapt to the setup role but can close if need be.
And by top four I mean, one top four prospect.
The Red Sox also took on 24M in salary with Kimbrel.
So you mean a dominant player in his prime brought back less because the team acquiring him took on all the money? Why do Tigers fans think Verlander will bring back more considering he’s not dominant, he’s outside his prime, and the Tigers are asking s team to take on nearly $60 milllion?
Verlander was the best AL pitcher last season, thats why Tigers fans like myself trust him. Hes great.
When Verlander is making over $60 MM Grienke will be making over $80 MM. That’s why Tiger fans think Verlander should bring back a nice return.
Nationals should make a big push to land wilson. Their window to win it all is closing fast.
Nonsense. No reason the Nats need to overpay for a 5th lefty for their bullpen. You’re just trolling now.
It doesn’t seem like the dodgers will get Wilson. They seem more centered on a starter, and if they go for a reliever it would be Hand or Reed.
I’m a Braves homer, so don’t take this as a LAD troll.
Hand for Yadier Alvarez (centerpiece) and Calhoun (main secondary piece) with a lotto ticket or two going both ways.
That’s about the price that Preller has set for Hand at this point.
Honestly I think y’all should ship out those guys for Darvish!
Yankees are focused on Starting Pitching so the only way they get Wilson is IF they were going to get JV. I think Houston gets Justin Wilson. JV is still the big mystery because someone is going to get lightening in a bottle money aside, he’s Jack Morris Circa 1987!
Wilson is way better than most of you advanced stats guys think. Hahaha. Fip. Hhahahab
And you base this assessment of J Wilson as a future HoF’er on what? You watched him pitch in his last 4 appearances, and wow?!?!
You are saying that Wilson is better than his numbers would indicate. Are you suggesting that he’s been unlucky? You could find that sort of thing by checking his BABIP and the like. Been betrayed by a porous defense? You could find out that sort of thing by looking at his team’s defensive numbers. Has he been burned unusually by his relief corps? There are ways of checking that one out as well.
Is Wilson better than his numbers would indicate only in unmentionable, unmeasurable areas or is there some way of putting your assertion to the test?
“Fip. Hhahahab.” (Sic)
Says the guy who cited ERA when trolling about Verlander earlier in this thread. Busted.
Wilson doesn’t have the track record and splash appeal Chapman had. I’d be shocked if he fetched the same kind of package.
He is the best relief pitcher available at this point, barring if Britton is on the market but even Britton has been dealing w injury issues. He also comes w an extra year of control. Chapman didnt.
Trade Green??!!
Why?
I’ll take him on the cubs as the 8th inning guy and 9th when wade Davis is available.
Yeah, I wouldn’t mind having him on the Tribe……but not at that asking price.
Tigers imo really should trade him now, J Wil is having a heckuva season and his value may not be higher. Plus w so many teams bidding, one will overpay. Tigers need position players in their farm system !
No way on Earth Detroit trades him to Cleveland, not worth mentioning them as a landing spot.
Since Al Avila likes collecting minor league infielders in trades, is there anyway he can get Adames back from the Rays for Wilson? Please??