What Would It Take For The Tigers To Land Lucroy?
By: Will Burchfield
@burchie_kid
Late Wednesday afternoon, reports began surfacing that the Tigers were in the mix for Brewers' catcher Jonathan Lucroy. That the news came mere hours after Detroit completed a three-game sweep of the Red Sox only added to the intrigue – had GM Al Avila suddenly been emboldened to eschew his stand-pat approach? The Tigers are now 4.5 games behind Cleveland in the A.L. Central and 2.5 games behind Boston for the second wild card, close enough to the playoffs that one significant upgrade could push them into October.
Lucroy could certainly be that upgrade. The Tigers have received replacement-level production at catcher all season long, with James McCann and Jarrod Saltalamacchia hitting a combined .201 through 102 games. Once J.D. Martinez is plugged back in the everyday lineup – and that figures to be soon – the team's only positional deficiency will be found behind the plate. Lucroy would quickly turn a weakness into a strength.
The two-time All Star is slashing .300/.361/.486 with 13 home runs and 50 RBI through 93 games. He is regarded as an excellent defensive catcher, with pitch-framing skills that rank among the league's best. On top of his many personal gifts, Lucroy boasts the best attributes of Saltalamacchia and McCann – a power bat and a strong arm, respectively – making him one of the best all-around catchers in the game.
Only he isn't paid like it. The 30-year-old will make just $4.25 million this season, of which the Tigers would be accountable for about $1.5 million should they acquire him before the August 1 deadline. And his contract contains a super affordable $5.25 million club option for 2017, meaning Lucroy would be more than just a two-month rental. He is hands-down one of the best bargains in baseball.
This is all to say: the dude won't come cheap.
The Brewers are believed to be seeking an MLB-ready catcher and multiple high-ranking prospects in return. And given their ability to retain Lucroy through next season, they certainly won't be compelled to lower the price. Add in the high number of bidders – at least five other teams have been mentioned with the Tigers in connection to Lucroy – and the slim market for catchers, and the Brewers' leverage comes into focus. It may be that Milwaukee holds onto him barring an offer they can't refuse.
So what would that look like for the Tigers? Well start with McCann, for one, and then dip into the prospect pool. The Brewers need to bolster their outfield depth and would certainly be interested in Christin Stewart, Derek Hill and Steven Moya. They'd target a pitcher or two as well – what team doesn't? – likely starting with Joe Jimenez and Beau Burrows. A package of, say, McCann, Stewart and Jimenez isn't out of the realm of what Brewers' GM David Stearns is seeking in exchange for his All-Star catcher.
That's a whole lot to give up for one player, even one signed through 2017. To increase their haul, the Tigers could target a couple of Brewers' relievers, addressing another team need in the process. Stearns has been fielding offers for righty Jeremy Jeffress and southpaw Will Smith, both of whom are in the midst of strong seasons. Jeffress, the Brewers' closer, is certainly the more appealing of the two with a 2.18 ERA through 41.1 innings. Both of them are under team control through 2020.
Adding either Jeffress of Smith to the proposal would obviously drive up Milwaukee's asking price, but it would represent a more worthwhile gamble for the Tigers. They have been hindered since the start of the season by a faulty bullpen and a black hole behind the plate. Solving both of those issues in one fell swoop could be the boost they need to make the playoffs. The question is just how much Avila is willing to forfeit from an already depleted farm system.
McCann, Burrows, Hill and Jimenez for Lucroy and Jeffress? Don't expect Stearns to set the bar much lower.
