Baseball insider says the Tigers need to trade Alex Avila now

0
225
MLB: Detroit Tigers at Cleveland Indians
Apr 16, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Detroit Tigers catcher Alex Avila (31) rounds the bases on his two-run home run in the first inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

We’re just days away from Monday’s Major League Baseball non-waiver trade deadline. More teams are starting to figure out if they are buyers or sellers, while the value of certain trade-able players will never be higher.

That is the case for a number of Detroit Tigers on the trading block. With each passing day, hour, minute and second, it becomes a matter of “when” said players will get traded.

ESPN baseball insider Buster Olney recently provided a list of players who he feels need to be traded now given their value is never better. One player he tabs is Tigers catcher Alex Avila, who is in the midst of a career year and finally healthy.

Here is what Olney says regarding Avila:

Through adjustments to his workout regimen, Avila has kept his legs fresher, and he is having one of the best offensive seasons of his career, with a .398 on-base percentage, after signing a one-year, $2 million deal to return to the Tigers. Because the left-handed hitter is owed relative pennies for the last two months of the season, Avila would almost certainly get claimed. There is interest from the Chicago Cubs and perhaps the Colorado Rockies, but he is so cheap that other teams would probably consider adding him as a third catcher or for first base and DH depth.

Important to note that, as Olney highlights, Avila provides a lot of value position wise to any potential suitor. He’s capable of starting or coming off the bench, spelling at catcher or first base and would be a super pinch-hitter from the left side.

Alex Avila
Aug 16, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Detroit Tigers catcher Alex Avila against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Olney in his latest piece also lists Padres reliever Brad Hand, Cardinals pitcher Lance Lynn, Braves catcher Kurt Suzuki and a pair of Angels arms in David Hernandez and Bud Norris.

Avila has been strongly connected to both the Chicago Cubs and Colorado Rockies recently, as Olney points out. The Rockies in particular have been scouting him and Tigers reliever Justin Wilson extensively as of late.

Strictly from a production standpoint, trading Avila sooner than later would make the utmost sense for the Tigers. Despite a .276 BA and .879 OPS on the season, the 30-year-old catcher is hitting just .154 with an atrocious .451 OPS in July.