The Tigers traded away Justin Verlander, J.D. Martinez and Justin Upton, among others, during the 2017 season, but it’s a deal Detroit didn’t make that’ll probably haunt general manager Al Avila for years to come.
Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press revealed in a piece published over the weekend, citing multiple persons with knowledge of the talks, that the Tigers rejected trade offers for pitcher Michael Fulmer in 2017 that involved Houston Astros infielder Alex Bregman and Chicago Cubs shortstop Javier Baez.
Neither Bregman nor Baez had blossomed into a superstar at that point, but not pulling the trigger on either trade certainly looks terrible in hindsight. Fulmer has battled injuries over the past two seasons, while Bregman and Baez now are among the best players in Major League Baseball.
Here’s more from Fenech:
Two seasons ago, they were aggressively approached about right-hander Michael Fulmer, who was coming off an AL Rookie of the Year Award in 2016 and was the Tigers’ All-Star representative in 2017. In what looms as the biggest mistake of their rebuilding process, the team rebuffed an offer for Fulmer involving two young players who are now among the best in baseball: According to multiple persons with knowledge of the talks, the Cubs offered shortstop Javier Baez as part of a three-player package and the Astros offered third baseman Alex Bregman for Fulmer and lefty reliever Justin Wilson.
Trading Fulmer would have been a bold move at the time given his performance to that point and the years of control remaining on his contract. It didn’t stop his name from popping up in trade rumors, though, and landing either Bregman or Baez perhaps would have expedited Detroit’s rebuilding process, which still is ongoing and might continue for several more years based on the underwhelming returns the Tigers received in deals before this season’s deadline.
Bregman, a two-time All-Star, is coming off a 2018 season in which he finished fifth in American League MVP voting after batting .286 with 31 home runs, 103 RBIs and a .926 OPS. The 25-year-old is hitting .267 with 27 homers, 67 RBIs and a .928 OPS in 109 games in 2019.
Baez, also a two-time All-Star, finished second in National League MVP voting last season after batting .290 with 34 home runs, 111 RBIs and an .881 OPS. The 26-year-old is hitting .288 with 26 homers, 73 RBIs and an .867 OPS in 109 games this season.
Fulmer, 26, hasn’t pitched this season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in March. The right-hander significantly regressed in 2018 after bursting onto the scene in 2016 and 2017, posting a 3-12 record, a 4.69 ERA, a 1.32 WHIP and a 4.52 FIP in 24 starts.
The Tigers entered Monday in last place in the AL Central with a 32-75 record. They haven’t had a winning season since 2016 and haven’t made the playoffs since 2014.
