Detroit Tigers hypothetical: Trading for Bryan Reynolds to build outfield

While the Detroit Tigers are not particularly in the market for a blockbuster trade, they may be looking to shake things up. The rebuild is moving in the right direction, and with a trade, they may be able to expedite the process.

The Detroit Tigers should consider calling up the Pittsburgh Pirates and trying to strike up a deal. While this is entirely a hypothetical trade that is not genuinely being talked about, it’s an exciting proposition, at the least.

The Tigers need to be in on Bryan Reynolds. Simply put, he’s young, talented, and controllable. But there are more in-depth things to look at. But, let’s cut to the chase… I’m simply acting as a couch general manager, but here is the trade proposal I put together.

This is a steep offer, and the Tigers are giving up a good amount of talent in return. But there is a reason behind it. It’s not an end-all-be-all offer, but it gives an idea of what the package might look like for a return on a Reynolds trade.

Detroit Tigers should target Bryan Reynolds via trade.

Reynolds has a lot to offer, even though he may fly under the radar to some around the league. On the outside, looking in, it’s easy to see the intrigue with Reynolds. He’s soon to turn 27 years old and is still in his rookie years, where he is under team control through 2026 when he becomes a free agent.

He’s still not even arbitration-eligible. While the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) may change this structure, Reynolds would be someone the Tigers could control for years to come. There’s no $30 million yearly price tag that comes with Reynolds.

Looking at his performance, there is plenty to like. In three seasons with the Pirates, he’s received Rookie of the Year award votes and Most Valuable Player award votes. This past summer, he really started to break out, even on a struggling team.

Reynolds was the Pirates representative for the 2021 All-Star game as well. He finished the season with 646 plate appearances where he slashed .302/.390/.522 with 24 home runs and 90 RBI. He also led the entire league with eight triples throughout the 2021 season.

The Pirates may be more willing to part ways with Reynolds since they are full-fledged in a rebuild. Stacking up some more prospects in Baddoo and Jobe may allow them to pull the trigger on a deal like this.

Moving Jobe to have a direct impact on the roster right now seems like it may be worth it. So while this trade is completely hypothetical, it’s something to follow.