At the MLB trade deadline, the Detroit Tigers will be in the market for third base help and starting pitching, along with reliever help. One of the teams that has flip-flopped between selling and not recently got a major update, which bodes well for the Tigers.
According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Arizona Diamondbacks are likely to sell at the trade deadline. “The Arizona Diamondbacks,” Nightengale writes, “… Will definitely be sellers at the trade deadline, according to rival executives.”
“They are making starters Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly,” Nightengale writes, “All-Star third baseman Eugenio Suarez and first baseman Josh Naylor available.”
While the Tigers don’t need Naylor, the other three would all be solid additions for the Tigers. Gallen and Kelly would be nice pickups, especially with the Tigers rotation being top-heavy with Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize.
Adding one of the Diamondbacks starters, who are on expiring deals, would be a nice rental option to help round out the rotation and mitigate the rough season from Jack Flaherty.
However, the big ticket item, Eugenio Suarez, is the most important update from this report. His availability will be huge. For the Tigers, who are inquiring about third basemen, Suarez would be a top choice.
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The former Tigers third baseman (for just a few games in his rookie season) would be a great pickup. He’s been one of the best sluggers in baseball this season, with 31 home runs before the All-Star break.
With the Diamondbacks sitting 6.5 games back in the NL Wild Card and little chance of winning the NL West, their odds to sell looked likely even before this report. But what makes this report so great for the Tigers is how the narrative has changed.
Even though it was looking like the Diamondbacks would sell, there had been rumors they’d hold onto their players. But, with Suarez, Gallen, Kelly, and Naylor all on expiring deals, it made the most sense for Arizona to pick up prospects for those players.
Now, with this report, the Tigers will have a decent chance to land either of the starters in Arizona or their slugging third baseman. It’s a very positive update for the Tigers, as their top trade targets are on the Diamondbacks and are now more available than ever.
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