Detroit Tigers trade rumors: Ian Kinlser could be packaged with Justin Wilson
By Matt Snyder
The Detroit Tigers and Milwaukee Brewers talked about a trade package involving second baseman Ian Kinsler and closer Justin Wilson.
We heard over the weekend that the Detroit Tigers and Milwaukee Brewers had discussed the possibility of an Ian Kinsler trade, but today we learn that Milwaukee’s real target may have been Justin Wilson with the Tigers trying to package Kinsler along in the deal.
Jerry Crasnick had that report today on ESPN.
"But this appears to be more a case of Detroit trying to link Kinsler with reliever Justin Wilson and move a veteran salary. The Brewers would love to have Kinsler, but pitching is their main priority at the moment. Kinsler has a $10 million club option for 2018 with a $5 million buyout. If the Brewers were to assume that financial obligation, it could lessen the player package Detroit receives for Wilson."
The Tigers might be trying to move Kinsler, a veteran player, but I don’t think Crasnick is correct about the club’s motivation or expected return. As he points out, Kinsler’s club option is for $10 million next season (or a $5 million buyout if the option is declined), but that’s a really good deal for any club who ends up with him!
Even in a somewhat down year at the plate, Kinsler has already accumulated two wins above replacement by both the FanGraphs and Baseball-Reference implementations of the value framework. He’ll likely finish the season with three or four WAR when all is said and done. If he was a free agent at the end of the season he could sign a one-year contract for more than $20 million without much trouble.
The Tigers might have been trying to package Kinsler and Wilson to make it easier to deal Kinsler — not many contenders are in dire need of a second baseman — but they wouldn’t package him if it meant accepting a smaller return for Wilson. Kinsler is an asset, not a liability, and they would be looking to get a decent return on him as well.
My guess is that the Tigers were trying to access the top of the Brewers’ farm system in talks for Wilson — someone like Lewis Brinson maybe — but that the Milwaukee was not interested in unloading that type of talent for a relief pitcher. The Tigers then probably threw in Kinsler to try to keep the Brewers engaged in negotiations.
The Tigers would love to move Kinsler because he’d help to accelerate their rebuild process, but if they don’t get the type of prospects they’re looking for then they’ll hang on to him and gladly give him his $10 million in return for near All-Star level production in 2018. There’s absolutely no reason for the team to offload his contract as part of a veteran salary dump.
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Kinsler has hit .247/.331/.400 for the Tigers this year but has been been better lately with a .293/.383/.488 batting line in 47 plate appearances since the All-Star break