Detroit Tigers Considered Top Trade Fit for $90 Million Boston Red Sox Outfielder
There's plenty to be excited about for Detroit Tigers fans moving forward. With a low payroll, young talent, and arguably the best farm system in Major League Baseball, the Tigers have many ways to improve.
Now, if ownership isn't willing to increase its payroll, things could get tough, but Detroit should eventually start to spend. It's been a bit since the Tigers have done so, but they used to be a team with a high payroll.
Either way, Detroit has the prospects to move in trades, perhaps the easiest way to improve its roster moving forward.
It remains uncertain what the Tigers are exactly looking for. From the sound of things, if something comes up and they think it'll improve the roster, they'll consider it. If not, they seem content heading into the 2025 campaign.
A right-handed bat would be the ideal addition. They could add another left-handed bat, but it might not make sense unless they want to trade one on the big league roster.
Despite that, Mark Ruelle of FanSided named them a top trade fit for left-handed hitting outfielder Masataka Yoshida. Yoshida is a good player, but Detroit moving any of its top prospects for him would be a massive overpay. Ruelle doesn't think that would have to be the case.
"This deal would like cost the Red Sox the most in terms of salary they would have to eat. The Tigers are certainly in win-now mode after last year’s surprising performance. Yoshida certainly could provide an excellent platoon with veteran Mark Canha in left field and serve as DH insurance for the oft-injured Kerry Carpenter. Boston can ask for big league pitching in the deal but would certainly settle for a B-level prospect. The offer could be managed as such, the better the return, the more willing the Red Sox would be to eat some of the salary."
It's tough to find a fit for Yoshida on the Tigers, barring any injuries. He's a good but not great player, and he wouldn't add any pop to the lineup, something Detroit needs.
If the Boston Red Sox would eat some of his money, it could be a decent move. He's set to make $18.6 million each of the next three years. Nearly $20 million AAV could help the Tigers sign a better player on the free agency market right now.
Yoshida could be someone the Red Sox want to trade to Detroit in the hope of landing a top prospect, but the Tigers shouldn't bite.
