Detroit Tigers trade rumors: Ian Kinsler may be Angels’ prime target
By Zac Snyder
The Detroit Tigers are in the market to trade a second baseman. The Los Angeles Angels are in the market to acquire a second baseman. Seems like a fit.
The expectation has been that the Detroit Tigers would trade Ian Kinsler at some point during the MLB Winter Meetings this week. There has been nothing to change that expectation. In fact, a leader may be emerging for who the trade partner might be.
According to Jerry Crasnick, the Los Angeles Angels are among at least four teams that have had discussions about Kinsler with the Tigers. Not only that but Kinsler may be their preferred target to fill their second base position.
The #Angels are “definitely interested” in Ian Kinsler, says a source. There’s a sense that Kinsler has emerged as Billy Eppler’s prime 2B target, but #Tigers aren’t close to a trade at the moment. #Mets, #Brewers and #SFGiants have also talked to Detroit about Kinsler.
— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) December 13, 2017
Rumors of teams talking about a player are one thing – generally a team will be evaluating multiple options – but this report goes a step further in identifying Kinsler as at or near the top of the Angels’ wish list. That could provide the traction necessary to push a deal toward completion.
Of course, the Tigers would have to feel they are getting an acceptable return to make it happen, but they should have a good feel for the kind of return Kinsler could bring now that they’ve reportedly had some level of discussions with multiple teams.
For the Tigers, trading Kinsler isn’t really about the return anyway. They surely don’t want to give him away for nothing but expectations have to be tempered. Kinsler has a relatively team-friendly contract with one year remaining but he’s 35-years old and coming off the worst season of his big league career.
The money may be tenable for someone else but doesn’t make sense for a Tigers team that won’t be competing for anything in 2018. It makes more sense to give the playing time to a younger player while Kinsler’s paychecks are signed by someone else.
Next: Why hiring Ron Gardenhire is completely fine
The Tigers and Angels have a recent history as trade partners going back to the trade deadline deal of Justin Upton. That previous working relationship could also help bring a Kinsler trade to fruition as the winter meetings wrap up on Thursday.