Phillies trade rumors: Tigers pitchers worth consideration?
By John Town
With the Phillies needing pitching help both in the rotation and bullpen, the Tigers could be a trade partner at the deadline.
The Phillies pitching staff, both starters and relievers, have struggled as a unit this year. They rank 27th in Fangraphs wins above replacement as a unit. Injuries have decimated the bullpen while the rotation has failed to reach expectations.
Considering these struggles, the team is expected to be active on the trade market for both starters and relievers. Madison Bumgarner and Mike Minor are both often mentioned, but perhaps Philadelphia should be talking with the Tigers to address their pitching woes.
Jon Morosi of MLB.com reported that the Tigers would listen to potential trade offers for just about every veteran on their roster. He notes that Philadelphia could be interested in starting pitcher Matthew Boyd and reliever Shane Greene.
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Boyd would fill a critical need as a left-handed starter. He is in the middle of a breakout season as a 28-year-old with a 3.35 ERA, 2.98 fielding-independent pitching, 30.7% strikeout rate, 4.7% walk rate, 1.08 WHIP, and 2.8 Fangraphs wins above replacement. Boyd ranks fifth among all starters in fWAR, ahead of well-known pitchers like Chris Sale, Minor, and Justin Verlander.
Considering how well he is pitching and the fact he won’t hit free agency until 2023, it would take a lot to pry Boyd away from the Tigers. They may opt to keep him around through the rebuild, but they are looking for players who will make an impact in 2021 and beyond according to Morosi. He states that the shortage of top-tier starters this season could lead to the Tigers dealing Boyd, especially if they get overwhelmed with a package.
Greene has been up and down in the last few years but is pitching well in 2019 so far. He has a 1.00 ERA, 3.34 fielding-independent pitching, and 4.14 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Greene currently has the best walk rate, strikeout rate, and WHIP and second-most Baseball-Reference wins above replacement of his career.
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Greene has 20 saves in 21 opportunities this year as the Tigers closer. Hector Neris is serving admirably as Philadelphia’s closer right now, so Greene could move to a setup role and be quite productive there.
The Tigers are likely more motivated to trade Greene as he will be a free agent after next season at 32 years old. He wouldn’t have as high of a price tag as Boyd but still would require a considerable trade package.
Morosi also notes that Tigers outfielder Nicholas Castellanos could be on the move at the deadline as he will be a free agent after this season, but Philadelphia needs a center fielder more than a corner outfielder.
Castellanos could move back to his old position of third base, but pitching and center field are more significant needs for Philadelphia.
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The Tigers are just one of several potential trade partners this year at the deadline. The Phillies will likely engage with them, but who knows if anything will get done.