Detroit Tigers: Is Trading Justin Upton A Possibility?
By Brad Faber
The Detroit Tigers reportedly received interest in Justin Upton before the trade deadline last summer. Might they try to trade him this winter?
Shortly after the Detroit Tigers’ 2016 campaign ended, General Manager Al Avila suggested that change is coming. Since then, almost any and all Tigers have been mentioned in trade speculation. Some have even wondered about the availability of Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera.
Recently, there has bit a bit of talk about star outfielder J.D. Martinez. The 29-year-old Martinez, who is under contract through only next season, would surely be an interesting target for teams looking to add offense. That said, could the Tigers possibly be able to pull off a trickier move and deal another outfielder?
After signing a six-year, $132.75 million deal to come to the Tigers, Justin Upton got off to a rough start in 2016 . In the first half, he struggled to the tune of a .235/.289/.381 batting line. Thanks to a second-half surge, he ended the season with a healthier triple-slash of .246/.310/.465.
More impressively, he finished the season with 31 home runs, which tied a career high set back in 2011. Though his 1.4 fWAR was his lowest mark since 2008, Upton’s strong power showing over the final few months of the season has led some to wonder if he may be movable.
According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, the Tigers did receive calls on Upton last summer, but did not actively try to move him.
DET source says contrary to what was written Friday, team never attempted to move Justin Upton during '16; says other teams did call them.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) October 22, 2016
Writing for Today’s Knuckleball, Jon Heyman recently stated that trading Upton would be a “tall task” for the Tigers. Heyman also mentioned this year’s free agent market for right-handed hitting. It will include names such as Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Bautista and Mark Trumbo.
Many of this year’s free agent sluggers will be pricey in their own right. They will also come with a draft-pick attached if and when a qualifying offer is turned down. Nevertheless, signing a player may still be a more attractive route for many teams to take rather than pursuing a trade for Upton.
Upton also reportedly has a no-trade that allows him to block moves to 20 teams, which could certainly stand in the way of completing a deal as well. Teams might also be hesitant to trade prospects for a player who might end up being a rental (he can opt out after next season).
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All in all, trading Upton may not be the most likely event to occur this winter. That said, it was just three years ago, under then-GM Dave Dombrowksi, when the Tigers moved Prince Fielder‘s contract. Based on Avila’s comments, it seems that just about anything might be possible.