Back when the Detroit Tigers acquired Yoenis Cespedes from the Boston Red Sox as the centerpiece of the Rick Porcello deal last December, some fans shook their heads. Aside from a rough September, Porcello was coming off of a long-awaited breakout year, and Cespedes had been unable to match the success of his rookie campaign in the two seasons since.

So far, however, the deal has been working out pretty well for the Tigers. Although he still doesn’t walk very often and his strikeout rate sits at an above-league-average 23.5 percent, Cespedes is currently slashing a solid .279/.314/.468 with six home runs and 27 RBIs. Plus, Alex Wilson, who the Tigers acquired as part of the same trade, has proven to be a tremendous addition to the team’s relief corps.

With Cespedes eligible for free agency after this season, many have begun to wonder if he will be part of the Tigers’ future plans. While it would be hard to go wrong with locking up a slugger of Cespedes’ caliber, it shouldn’t be the Tigers’ top priority.

For starters, Cespedes, who will be turning 30 in October, will likely be seeking an expensive multi-year deal. The Tigers already have an awful lot of money invested in hitters who are past the age of 30 in Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez. Plus, they may also want to start thinking about the future of J.D. Martinez, even though he won’t be hitting free agency until 2018.

Furthermore, if Cespedes were to sign with another club, the Tigers would have three candidates who could compete for a corner outfield spot next spring in Daniel Fields, Tyler Collins and Steven Moya — assuming that none of them are traded by that time. Fields, Collins and Moya are all left-handed hitters as well, which is something the Tigers have been needing.

The Tigers also have several other players who will be eligible for free agency this winter, some of whom may prove to be harder to replace than Cespedes. For instance, Joakim Soria has been the lockdown closer the team has sorely been lacking, and bringing him back should be one of the Tigers’ top goals. The other major player headed to the free agent market is obviously David Price.

Granted, re-signing Price could very well take a commitment in the vicinity of $200 million, but if the Tigers wish to contend beyond 2015, they will need a legitimate ace much more than another bat. Unless the Tigers feel confident that Justin Verlander can be that guy again or they can swing a trade for someone like Cole Hamels, signing Price or another top-tier starting pitcher is going to be required.

Of course, there is still plenty that could change, and the offseason is still a long ways away. As it stands right now, however, bringing Cespedes back to the Motor City should not be No. 1 on the Tigers’ wishlist.

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. 

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