Detroit Tigers: Al Avila’s comments on the trade deadline are scary
By Tyler Kotila
The Detroit Tigers are deeply engulfed in their rebuild. The 2021 season has treated them to a 26-37 record, which is surprisingly not the worst in the American League Central. The team has been a dumpster fire and tough to watch over the years, but they appear to be trending in the right direction.
That being said, the team is still bringing in more prospects to fuel this resurgence. The youth movement has begun in Detroit with all of the call-ups in the recent past. The MLB Draft coming up this summer will treat them to another top-tier talent as well.
One of the other things to watch out for is the trade deadline; this is a time where the team will be able to add in a few more prospects to the mix. In this case, they will be able to flip whatever assets they have and turn them into prospect depth for the remainder of this rebuild.
Not so fast. A recent Detroit Free Press article by Chris McCosky has pointed the finger at General Manager (GM) Al Avila. McCosky quoted Avila as saying that the urgency for trading productive players is less than it has been in recent years.
Detroit Tigers General Manager Al Avila suggesting the team may shy away from trade deadline deals is scary.
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The consensus feeling towards Avila may not be the most exciting. There is not a ton of support in the fan base for Avila and his actions as General Manager.
What I will say is, the man can bring in prospects; his drafting in recent years has been exceptional.
It is hard to “miss” with the first overall pick, but he has done a good job bringing in players who appear that they will be impactful.
Now, the trade deadline has been an up and down rollercoaster with Avila.
If the Tigers are to shy away from trading “productive players” this year, it better be because those players will be part of the team’s future in a positive and contributing manner.
The Tigers would be silly not to move players who can net players more prospect.
While this does not always work out ***cough, cough, Justin Verlander trade, cough, cough*** the organization should generally benefit from more options in the minors. It’s players like Matthew Boyd and Michael Fulmer who will not play a huge role beyond the length of this rebuild.
The future of the starting rotation is not Boyd; if there are ways to move him for prospects, Avila is silly not to. If the Tigers are silent at the trade deadline, that is going to be scary. Capitalizing on the trade market and moving assets that they can is crucial for the rebuild.
Hot. Detroit Tigers: Youth movement beginning is great for the organization. light
So while Avila may like the direction the team is heading in the right direction and he “likes what we have going here,” but it is scary to think the team will be quiet at the trade deadline in 2021.