Detroit Tigers rumors: Joakim Soria, Jason Frasor, Chad Qualls are trade targets?
By Dan Zinski
The Detroit Tigers are looking to bolster their bullpen for the second half and could have their eyes on a pair of Rangers relievers as well as one from the Astros.
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Jon Morosi reports that Detroit is interested in Texas’ Joakim Soria and Jason Frasor and Houston’s Chad Qualls, in addition to other relievers.
The Tigers’ bullpen has been a problem all year, especially late relievers Joe Nathan and Phil Coke, both of whom currently sport ERAs north of 5.00.
Soria and Qualls have both closed games for their respective teams this year and each would give the Tigers a potentially better ninth-inning option. Soria has 15 saves this year for Texas with a 39-to-4 K-to-BB ratio. The 35-year-old Qualls has 9 saves for Houston with a 27-to-3 K-to-BB.
The 36-year-old Jason Frasor has been a solid set-up man for Texas, appearing in 35 games and posting a 2.63 ERA.
Soria looks like the most attractive option among those three at least from an age perspective but he would also likely command the highest price in a trade scenario. Frasor and Qualls are short-term patch-up solutions as both are edging into their late ’30s and have lots of innings on their arms.
There’s little question that the Tigers must move on from the fading Joe Nathan as their closer. Unless they prefer to keep driving their fans stark raving crazy.
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