Detroit Tigers trade rumors: Chicago Cubs unlikely to acquire Alex Avila at the deadline
By Matt Snyder
The Detroit Tigers are unlikely to work out a trade of Alex Avila to the Chicago Cubs according to baseball insider Jon Heyman.
The Detroit Tigers are collecting offers on catcher Alex Avila — among others — but the Chicago Cubs appear to be losing interest in the veteran backstop. The Cubs have been rumored to be sniffing around Avila for several weeks now, but Jon Heyman reports that a deal is not likely to be struck.
"Alex Avila has been linked most often to the Cubs, but one source by a Great Lake said they don’t believe that will ultimately happen."
The Cubs losing interest would be a blow to Avila’s market. The Arizona Diamondbacks were said to be kicking the tires on Avila, but they agreed to a trade for John Ryan Murphy of the Minnesota Twins on Thursday.
It’s not clear what remains of the market for Avila, but chances are that the Tigers can still find a deal if they want to move him. The Rockies have recently expressed interest, but the Cubs always seemed like the best fit given the makeup of their roster. Perhaps they’re simply hoping for the Tigers to drop their asking price.
Avila is still more likely than not to get traded — say, 60% likely — and he’ll probably sign a multi-year contract in the offseason (barring a second half collapse). The Tigers probably won’t be serious bidders for his services in the offseason, so his days as a member of the club could once again be waning.
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Avila is a career .243/.351/.403 and has above average power for the catcher position. As a left-handed hitter, he’s an ideal platoon candidate for a team with a right-handed option already in place. His 137 wRC+ this season represents his best batting line since he made the All-Star team in 2011.