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With the end of May fast approaching, the Detroit Tigers currently find themselves trailing the Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals by 1.5 games in the AL Central. In what may very well turn out to be a tough three-team race all summer long, the Tigers may eventually be tempted to trade for some additional help, just as they did last season with the acquisition of David Price.
Although Justin Verlander could certainly provide a boost if he can rediscover some of his past dominance upon his return, one could see the Tigers attempting to shore up the starting rotation once again. As of right now, Tigers starters have a 4.15 ERA, placing them 17th in MLB. Price and Alfredo Simon have been excellent for the most part, but the rest of the staff has been quite inconsistent.
But who could Detroit possibly offer for a top-notch starting pitcher? Well, the price tag may be a bit lower on rental players such as Scott Kazmir and Johnny Cueto, but the Tigers would likely need to dig deep into their system in order to make a run at someone like Cole Hamels.
Of course, quite a bit has already been made about how the Tigers’ farm system is in less than stellar shape, but they still possess a few prospects who could potentially become valuable trade chips. Obviously, it would hardly be shocking to hear Steven Moya‘s name come up in rumors as the deadline approaches. That said, the Tigers may also want to hang on to him.
Last year, Moya had a breakout season in Double-A Erie, hitting .276/.306/.555 with 35 home runs and 105 RBIs. He was ultimately named the Eastern League MVP.
Although he was hampered by a foot injury earlier on this season, Moya is starting to show off some of that pop once again, slashing a combined .252/.284/.453 with seven home runs and 22 RBIs over his time in Class-A Advanced Lakeland and Triple-A Toledo. His walk-to-strikeout ratio remains a bit of a concern as he has drawn only eight walks while striking out 50 times, but the power is extremely impressive.
Moya is also a left-handed hitter, which is something the Tigers have been lacking. Aside from the stellar season that the switch-hitting Victor Martinez turned in last year and the production that Prince Fielder gave the club from 2012-13, the Tigers have had a hard time finding that 30-home run, 100-RBI threat from the left side. Moya could potentially be that guy.
Plus, with Yoenis Cespedes eligible for free agency this winter, the Tigers may need to fill a corner outfield spot. While they have a couple of other guys who could help with that void in Tyler Collins and Daniel Fields, Moya appears to have the highest ceiling, especially as far as power is concerned.
In the past, the Tigers have indeed parted ways with a few big-time prospects who went on to underperform such as Cameron Maybin and Jacob Turner. Trading Moya, however, could be a move that comes back to bite them.
Brad Faber is a Senior Writer and Sabermetrics Columnist for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Brad_Faber, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on LinkedIn or Google.
