No Trades For Tigers As Deadline Passes
By Dan Jenkins
@DanTJenkins
Signs of a new style of management were apparent as the trade deadline came and went with a whisper for the Detroit Tigers.
That was, however, not to be unexpected. General Manager Al Avila said last week that the team would most likely stand pat and not make any blockbuster trades at the non-waiver deadline, a stark contrast from what the franchise has done in recent years.
The team had been mentioned in rumors surrounding lower-tier starting pitchers and even prized catcher Jonathan Lucroy at one point, but nothing materialized. Avila said that the return of starters Jordan Zimmermann and Daniel Norris along with J.D. Martinez will be the team's big second-half additions.
"This is a team that can get us into the playoffs," Avila said last week. "We just have to get the guys back that are injured. We've got to stay healthy and we've got to be more consistent. I believe this team has the capability to do that, and we have a great manager to lead the way."
The Tigers do find themselves in the thick of things in the American League, sitting four and a half games behind the Cleveland Indians in the Central Division and one game behind the Boston Red Sox for the second and final Wild Card spot.
Many thought that winning six games heading into the deadline would make the Tigers clear buyers before Monday's 4 p.m. deadline, but the price for mediocre pitching seemed to be too high of a price for Avila to pay.
"Those are going to be our major acquisitions," Avila said. "There's nobody out there better than Jordan Zimmerman if he comes back healthy. Obviously, J.D. Martinez and then Daniel Norris. I don't see us adding another starting pitcher or reliever at this point."
The Tigers were unwilling to give up on their top prospects -- like Beau Burrows, Matt Manning, Joe Jimenez, Derek Hill and Christian Stewart -- in order to get below-average starters like Jeremy Hellickson, Hector Santiago or Matt Moore.
That doesn't mean the team will stay inactive in the trade market from here on out. The Tigers can still trade for players after they clear waivers.
The starting pitching situation will look leaps and bounds better with the additions of Zimmermann and Norris, most likely forcing Anibal Sanchez and Matt Boyd out. The return of J.D. Martinez will solidify the outfield and the lineup, moving the increasingly valuable Tyler Collins to the bench.
But don't put anything past this franchise. If Mr. Ilitch wants something done, it'll get done.