The Tigers haven’t exactly been aggressive in free agency this winter, but they’ve still added a handful of veterans, including C.J. Cron, Jonathan Schoop, Ivan Nova and Austin Romine. They’ve yet to make an addition in the outfield, but general manager Al Avila said Thursday on the Tigers Caravan that doing so is a possibility (Twitter link via Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press). Asked about Yasiel Puig, however, Avila indicated that the longtime Dodger is “not a priority” for the Detroit organization.
It stands to reason that after failing to come to terms on an extension with Nicholas Castellanos, who’s now seeking a lucrative multi-year deal in free agency, he won’t be a fit for the Tigers, either. That said, the market isn’t totally devoid of interesting options. Kevin Pillar, Steven Souza Jr. and Domingo Santana are among the yet-unsigned names who’ve had some recent success. Then again, MLB.com’s Jason Beck suggests that the organization might prefer a left-handed bat for some lineup balance, and the market for lefty hitters is a bit more sparse. Jarrod Dyson is available, and if the Tigers want to dial up a reunion tour, familiar names like Curtis Granderson and Matthew Joyce are still free agents.
For the rebuilding Tigers, though, spending on an outfielder probably isn’t a priority in the way that Schoop and Cron were, as they do have a handful of somewhat intriguing options in house already. The team’s 2017 Rule 5 pick, Victor Reyes, brushed off a terrible rookie season (as many Rule 5ers endure) to deliver a .304/.336/.431 slash in 292 plate appearances. Much of that was BABIP-driven, but it’s understandable that they’re interested in getting a longer look at a player they selected with the No. 1 pick in the aforementioned Rule 5 Draft.
Detroit also picked up outfielder Travis Demeritte in the trade that sent Shane Greene to Atlanta. He struggled mightily in his first 186 MLB plate appearances, but he also posted a monster season in Triple-A and only turned 25 at the end of the season. Former No. 34 overall pick Christin Stewart struggled in his own look in the Majors this year but has a solid track record in Triple-A himself and was impressive in a 2018 cup of coffee. In center, JaCoby Jones shook off a terrible start to the season to hit .258/.335/.483 in his final 70 games. Detroit also has prospect Daz Cameron in the wings at Triple-A, although he’ll need to bounce back from an ugly 2019 effort to get a look in the big leagues.
Obviously, if the Tigers were aiming to contend in 2020, this group wouldn’t be close to sufficient, but that’s not the organization’s aim. There’s surely some merit to bringing in a more experienced option in the spirit of competitiveness, though, and the Tigers have shown a past willingness to do so (e.g. Cron, Schoop, Tyson Ross, Josh Harrison, Matt Moore) while some other rebuilding clubs more staunchly eschew adding any free agents of note. Whether that leads to a deal can’t be known, but Avila at the very least noted that the team is “talking to some agents” (Twitter link via The Athletic’s Cody Stavenhagen), suggesting that the open market is a likelier path to an addition than the trade market.
that JaCoby Jones still projects as a starting OF is crazy to me
Good defensive CF are hard to find and Cameron sure isn’t the answer.
As a Tiger’s fan, I’m more than ready to move on. No doubt he’s an athlete, but I don’t think a full time ML player.
He showed signs of being a solid hitter last year. If he can figure some more out and be more consistent he could be a decent player. But the issue is whether he can figure it all out or not. I’m willing to give him another year with the tigers but after that he’ll just be a waste of a roster spot
He’s tied with Lance McCullers though for the league lead in capital-letters-per-name
Stupid comment. Lots of players have multiple capital letters in their names
Lol! I thought it was a great point
You & me both
He had an 800+ OPS after he changed his swing. You need to start him for another season to confirm if this is a permanent change. Remember that Houston cut JD Martinez after a couple of seasons and despite his improved spring training performance after changing his swing. Jacoby won’t hit with JD’s power but if he settles in at 750+ OPS he’s Keirmeier. I’d take that all day long.
Trash Tigers
Until they get rid of Avila nothing else will matter.
Agree on the good bye to Avila and cohorts that have no ability to develop players,draft and sign FA’s..
Josh Reddick is available.
Reddick seems like a viable option. He played a solid outfield for the Astros from what I saw.
Let’s see how he does without the trash can banging. Also, could there be possible collusion to not signing recent ex-Astros hitters this season with the advent of the scandal? The guy’s best year was 2017 and we all have an idea of what was going on then.
Not crazy but would have to be an interesting deal.
Granderson would be good
For what?
Reminiscing on his 07′ season with the Tigers lol.
Actually, Granderson would be a decent signing for the Tigers. A veteran OF who still plays decent defense and still has some pop in his bat. Downside is that he had an absolute horrid season in 2019 with Miami. IMO, a better choice would be Matt Joyce, if we are on the reunion tour. He only played his rookie year in Detroit, so not that much of a reunion. But he is 3 years younger than Granderson, still plays decent enough defense, and hit well enough in Atlanta last year in part time use.
Denard Span, depending on his condition, may be a good fit for the Tigers if they’re looking for a 1 year deal for an inexpensive outfielder. His connections with Gardenhire would help as well.
Haven’t heard that name lately.
Last played for Seattle in 2018.
Castellanos is praying that the Tigers won’t be his only offer!
I think Casty may already have multiple offers on the table, but he is just waiting it out to see if he can get more.
Maybe Kevin Pillar? It’d give them a viable option in CF, and he would bring a good veteran presence to that young team. I’d guess it would be a one year pact, but I think that could be a nice pickup.
They can have Jacoby Ellsbury… his name fits right in with some of the outfielders named in this article. Curtis Granderson? Kevin Pillar? C’mon Tigers, get after it like the old days when you had Whitaker, Trammell, Evans, Gibson, Morris, Tanana, etc.
Really? because the team looks pretty solid on paper
Agreed, which is why imo they should get a better outfield option than some of the guys named. I think Reddick May be a good fit. Not as good as the 80s teams though, no doubt. They were a force back then.
Wouldn’t exactly say “solid,” but they will surprise people. I predicted fewer than 100 losses and some of my friends started laughing! I think Cron and Schoop will make a big difference compared to Mercer and Harrison last year. Starting pitching is solid enough that the difference in bats could add up to a decent number of wins.
55 wins – 107 losses.
Really. …. where?
Meow
Should be calling Atlanta about Duvall
Still can’t believe the Tigers lost 114 games last year. Seems impossible. So without question this years team will be better. Looking for silver linings and all.
Juan Lagares doesn’t seem like much of an upgrade for the Tigers.
Anyone have any guesses which team would bring Lagares in as a glove-first 4th or 5th OF?
Maybe the giants, he could come off the bench to take some of the workload off their rookies, so that they don’t wear down as quick,
None of the proposed lefties will hit squat. Rather see them sign a righty that can hit, or just let the kids fight it out.
Bobby Higgenson 2/3
Andy Dirks 1/1.25
If I were the Tigers, I would go after Kevin Pillar because of how hard he plays. Or maybe Billy Hamilton…
Pillar is at least a boni fide MLB player with single digit power, but doesn’t matter now – the only reason to watch a game for the next two seasons is the pitchers.
Hamilton in CF. Jarrod Dyson in RF. JaCoby Jones in LF.
Nothing falls in that outfield. The pitchers look even better. It helps us flip Boyd and Norris for can’t miss prospects.
That’s a great idea!
Does it really matter who they sign? We all know where the Tigers are headed and it won’t be the playoffs.
How about Adam Duvall and Ender Inciarte for Michael Fulmer.
How about no, you crazy Dutch barstid
Acuna Jr & Swanson would make as much sense in general but wild certainly work better for the Tigers.
Braves just signed Ozuna, might part with Markakas. He only has a 4 mil contract, not going to need a top prospect in return. Markakas can add some OF depth, and is a true pro player.
I’d try to make a trade with the Braves for Nick Markakas. RF, 36 yo, Bats/ Throws left. Signed for 2020 at 4mil,
Why? What makes you think they need a 36yr old OF? If that made sense they’d have extended Nick C.
Because Nick C would cost 10 times that much. Minimum. Nick C should get a contract for at least 50 million. Nick Markakis is getting chump change. Not even close in the money area.
Nick C would actually be playing when the Tigers can be competitive, Markakis won’t. He’d be nice to sign for that, but you don’t send a prospect to ATL for him.
Boyd to the Dodgers for Pedersen
Why would the Tigers trade a starter with 3 years until free agency for one year of a guy?
A guy that’s basically platoon.
Boyd for Urias would make much more sense but that won’t happen either.
Reddick’s almost a perfect play here. The Astros are in heat to ditch the salary, so much so that they’d probably toss in a couple of #11-20 type prospects; Reddick’s fundamentals/in-game skills are among the best, and the bat could come alive in a contract year. Moreover, just about any contending team can use a Josh Reddick at the trade deadline.
The Tigers have a lot of money. It wouldn’t be earth shattering, but has all the possibilities of working out well.
I think that’s a trade that would work for both sides. Free up some payroll so the Astros can prove they really do belong in the elite despite the cheating episodes. Tigers could use some clubhouse leadership and solid, if unspectacular, talent.
People keep mentioning Reddick. Why would the tigers give up anything or pay any of his salary when they are already out of the playoff race this year and there are plenty of outfielders still able to be had for much cheaper or even minor league deals.
Leveraging money for prospects basically – Its smart business if your owner is willing to eat cash- Cozart to Sf most recent example
Honestly, as much as I’d like to see a Granderson or Joyce reunion, does not make sense for the Tigers. Their corner OF situation is Stewart (a LHH) and Reyes (SH, but better from the L). They have Demerite and Stokes Jr as RHH to possibly compete for a roster spot. One of those gives the Tigers a chance to platoon in LF and occasionally in RF. They also signed Jorge Bonifacio to a minor league deal, who is also a RHH. Right now, the Tigers have plenty of guys to compete for the OF spots.
So the issue is, if you are going to upgrade, what spot do you upgrade. If you really don’t like Stewart or Reyes in the corners, bring in a corner OF who can hit with some power. That is where you might bring in Joyce, and leave Reyes and Stewart to duke it out. If you don’t really like your 4th OF options, want a platoon here for Reyes and Stewart, go with a RHH, someone like Pillar fits here as he can also spell JaCoby Jones in CF.
The other option for the Tigers is to see how things play out during the spring, and if they feel they are wanting another OF, go waiver wire shopping at the end of spring training.
That’s just too logical.
Dexter Fowler would waive his no trade for Detroit.
Al meet AJ, AJ, this is Al.
Wil Myers loves Detroit! Let’s make this happen…
Take back Jordan Zimmerman and give us Patino, then sure.
I don’t know where the Tigers plan to try Harold (not Willi) Castro. More IF than OF I guess, but I think he can play anywhere in the OF and he bats LH.
I like the guy. Just sayin’.
Kevin Pillar would be a perfect fit..1 year deal on the cheap.can play all over the outfield,and actually hit very well in the second half of the 2019 season…No to Puig…… grandy er joyce are old and done…need a guy that can give 120-140 games in right and in center when Jones gets hurt again…
Go with the kids. Take another hitter w/no. 1 overall pick. Let’s see some of the Manning, Faedo, Mize et al arms up this year. Please stop signing the moldy scrubs. Give us some hope.
Nick Williams for Joe Jimenez
A team can only handle so many .210-.220 hitters. Pick up an experienced Right fielder who can hit. Even if they get hurt, they will give you some depth for awhile. Then you’ll have an experienced right side( c, 2nd, 1st, and RF). Markakas, Reddick type player for OF.
I have seen Reddicks ceiling. Tigers need better upside. Markakas will only decline. I would rather see them give a 4A player a chance. Might strike oil.
I would love to see them give Souza a try. Nothing to lose.
Great idea.
Victor Reyes is a breakout waiting to happen!
Reyes looked very strong, Jones picked up in the 2nd half. Stewart looked good at times also.
I’d like to see them sign Domingo Santana. Shouldn’t cost much. High upside. Some control left.
Sign Granderson, good dugout player too, keep as coach in Tigers system.
Grandy batted .183 last season, hasn’t hit over .245 since 2015. Might make fan base happy though. Not what the Tigers need at this point, as far as playing ability.
I dont think they should lose another 40 man slot for an over the hill veteran. Lets let the kids battle it out for outfield.
Clint Frazier?