MLB Trade Rumors 2019: Top 25 assets

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 20: San Francisco Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner (40) throws a pitch during a MLB game between the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 20, 2019 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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PITTSBURGH, PA – JUNE 18: Shane Greene #61 of the Detroit Tigers pitches in the ninth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates during inter-league play at PNC Park on June 18, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /

24. Shane Greene

The Detroit Tigers have been effectively stripped down to the bare bones and have very few valuable trade chips left to move at the deadline this year. You could make a case for left-hander Matthew Boyd as an interesting piece, but he is a 28-year-old with a career 4.82 ERA and spotty track record. Boyd is having a career year and may finally be living up to the potential that made him worthy to be included in a trade for Cy Young winner David Price. The Tigers still have two more years of control with Boyd and should wait it out and see if he is for real.

A team like the rebuilding Tigers should exercise a little restraint before flipping a starting pitcher having a breakout season. The same cannot be said of a reliever. Detroit needs to get maximum value out of 30-year-old right-hander Shane Greene who has 21 saves and a 0.93 ERA through his first 29 appearances this year.

Greene is having a stellar season after finishing 2018 with a 5.12 ERA in 63.1 innings. He is allowing only five hits per-nine with peripherals that somewhat support his strong performance being for real.

Relievers are extremely volatile commodities, so the Tigers need to turn Greene’s career year into at least one intriguing prospect at the trade deadline. The 2019 reliever market looks like slim pickings, but the Tigers have a name to offer.

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