Detroit Tigers Trade Rumors: David Price Could End Up on the Block
By Matt Snyder
At least on baseball executive thinks the Detroit Tigers could listen to offers on ace starting pitcher David Price.
Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe took a look at what teams around baseball might do at the trade deadline. He still thinks the Detroit Tigers will end up as buyers, but he quotes one executive who thinks the team could entertain offers on ace starting pitcher David Price.
"The consensus among baseball people is that Price would be the biggest prize if he became available… “It bears watching,” said one AL executive. “I don’t think he’s going back there. The Tigers need to revamp their farm system, so it’s not cut and dried that they won’t entertain a package for him.”"
Cafardo reiterates that he doesn’t personally see this as a likely scenario and predicts that Detroit themselves will add a starting pitcher.
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I’m inclined to agree with Cafardo on this one. The Tigers entered Sunday with a (slightly better than) 1-in-5 chance of making the postseason, sitting three games out of Wild Card position. That’s nothing like automatic, but as long as the Tigers stay within striking distance, they’re likely to try to buy their way into the playoffs. That’s been their MO for much of the last decade.
It is fun to think about — what type of package they might get in exchange for David Price — but this organization hasn’t been one to punt on a season if they think they still have a chance.
That’s not to say that keeping him would be the best strategy. If the price is right (excuse the awful pun), it might very well be optimal to deal him away (and with him probably any chance of a serious playoff run). Adding a near-major league ready player or two — a player who’s cost controlled for a number of years — may be the difference between a quick retooling of the roster and an extended period of lean years.
The question for the Tigers, as always, is how much can they grow the payroll in coming years? Can they sustain a bloated budget and sign veterans to stay in contention, or are they going to have to break things down and hope for the best?
The answers to those questions would indicate the best way to handle trade assets like Price.
Next: Does Dave Dombrowski Want Out of Detroit?