Second Base?
The Detroit Tigers have a massive hole at second base after trading Kinsler to the Angels. Since coming over from the Texas Rangers in exchange for Prince Fielder in November of 2013, Kinsler was extremely productive over four seasons in Detroit. His best season came back in 2016 when he hit .288/.348/.484 (122 OPS+) with 28 home runs and 83 RBI.
Kinsler provided big-time value with his bat as well as his glove. Over the past four seasons, he has been worth 17.4 fWAR, which ranks third among all qualified second basemen in baseball.
Apparently, the Tigers will almost certainly not be able to replace that level of production. They do, however, have at least one internal candidate who should be able to do a respectable job at the position.
At the current moment, Machado is likely the Tigers’ best option. Throughout his time in the Tigers’ system, he has always been known for his glove and should be able to handle the position with ease — at least from a defensive standpoint.
It remains to be seen how well he can produce with the bat in a full-time role, however. With Machado and Jose Iglesias, the Tigers could have a light-hitting middle infield in 2018.
The Tigers could also consider Lugo for second base, despite his inexperience in both the majors and at the position. Lugo has appeared in only 15 games at second base throughout his minor league career.
There are also veteran second basemen/middle infielders on the free agent market who could make sense for the Tigers as well. Someone like Erick Aybar, Stephen Drew or Chase Utley could be good fits.