Proposed Detroit Tigers Trade Would Land Team Four-Time All-Star Slugger
As free agency gets set to heat up, the Detroit Tigers seem poised to be a major player, something that may not have been the case had the team not gone on an improbable run down the stretch to make the playoffs.
With the Tigers proving to the team's decision makers and check signers that they are only a couple of pieces away from having a chance to truly compete for a championship, the strategy may prove to be aggressive on the open market. But acquiring talent just by being the highest bidder on a free agent isn't the only way to do it, and perhaps Detroit will try to make some serious moves on the trade market.
One player who has been thrown out a lot in dream trade targets for really every team in baseball is Toronto Blue Jays superstar slugging first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. after another huge season and All-Star appearance in 2024.
Toronto wasn't even close when it came to results this season, winning 74 games and finishing 12 games behind in the Wild Card race. Many have said that the Blue Jays are a sneaky contender for Juan Soto, in which case they would likely hold onto Guerrero Jr. and try to compete next season. If not, Guerrero Jr. could become available. W.G. Brady of Detroit Sports Nation reacted to a proposed trade from the Detroit Free Press that saw the Tigers land the star in exchange for Reese Olson, Jace Jung, Matt Manning, and Jose Dickson.
"If the Blue Jays find themselves unable to sign [Guerrero] to a contract extension, miss out on the lucrative Juan Soto sweepstakes, or decide to reorganize their roster for the future, they may consider trading him before Opening Day 2025," Brady wrote. "As the Tigers look ahead to the offseason, the prospect of acquiring a superstar like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has fans buzzing with excitement."
While moving Olson along with Jung and other prospects would sting, the opportunity to acquire a player who is one of the best hitters in baseball does not come around every day.
Guerrero Jr. has made four consecutive All-Star games and just set a career high in batting average in 2024 at .323 in what was the second best season of his career only to his ridiculous 2021 campaign when he finished second in AL MVP voting.
Guerrero Jr. could be the piece that puts the Tigers over the top and if he truly does become available, Detroit must pull the trigger here.
