MLB Trade Rumors: Tigers Looking for Pitching

The Detroit Tigers have a guy by the name of Justin Verlander as their ace.  He was just the MVP and the

Cy Young Award winner for the American League last year.  However, Verlander has not been able to make up for the Tigers’ struggles this year.  After all, he can only pitch every fifth game.  Now, according to James Schmehl of MLive.com, the Tigers are looking for pitching help at the deadline.

Schmehl suggests the Tigers may be interested in Shawn Marcum of the Milwaukee Brewers, but Detroit is open to anyone who can help them reclaim their perch atop the American League Central.  Matt Garza has been rumored, but the new name is Marcum.

Marcum is 5-3 with a  3.39 ERA with the Brewers this season.  He was one of the three main pitching components that helped the Brewers to the National League Central crown last season.  Like Zack Greinke – who is getting a lot of attention around the league – Marcum is a free agent after this year.  Any team making a move for him would need to weigh the time Marcum would be with the team verse what the Brewers would ask for in return.

Marcum is currently on the DL, but that has not scared teams away from taking interest.  What could be worrisome is the fact that Marcum has already undergone Tommy John surgery once and his trip to the DL was due to tightness in his pitching elbow.  Marcum is expected to be sidelined through the All-Star break but is making progress.

In his career, Marcum is 55-35 with a 3.73 ERA.  Marcum has experience in pitching in the American League as well.  He pitched five seasons for the Toronto Blue Jays facing the uber-talented competition in the AL East.  The Tigers rank 17th in ERA and could use a boost from a guy like Marcum who has a career ERA+ of 113.

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