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Cardinals: 3 Tigers trade chips worth pursuing at the deadline

By Jake Oliver

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - JULY 21: Pitcher Tarik Skubal #29 of the Detroit Tigers looks on from the mound after avoiding being hit by a ball in the bottom of the third inning against the Oakland Athletics during game one of a doubleheader at RingCentral Coliseum on July 21, 2022 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - JULY 21: Pitcher Tarik Skubal #29 of the Detroit Tigers looks on from the mound after avoiding being hit by a ball in the bottom of the third inning against the Oakland Athletics during game one of a doubleheader at RingCentral Coliseum on July 21, 2022 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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Eric Haase, tigers trade rumors, cardinals trade rumors
DETROIT, MI – JULY 24: Eric Haase #13 of the Detroit Tigers singles to drive in Javier Baez against the Minnesota Twins during the fourth inning at Comerica Park on July 24, 2022, in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) /

Eric Haase, C

The Cardinals need help at the catcher position. Andrew Knizer may be good at defense, but his bat is a black hole in the Cardinals lineup. The same goes for Yadier Molina, who has been injured for most of the season. You just don’t know what Yadi can provide at this stage of his career.

Those two have combined for 3 HR and 27 RBI in over 300 plate appearances. It doesn’t appear that top catching prospect Ivan Herrera is ready for the MLB, either. This is where breakout catcher Eric Haase comes in.

Haase hit 22 HR last year in only 98 games, showcasing his huge power. Over 60 games this year, he’s hitting .249/.308/.450 with a 115 OPS+, which is nearly double what Andrew Knizer is doing. Eric has hit 8 HR, 25 RBI, and 8 doubles while providing great defense. He’s been worth 1.4 WAR.

So why would the Tigers trade him? Haase is not even arbitration eligible until 2024 and not a free agent until 2027. However, he is already 29 years old, which means he doesn’t fit the Tigers rebuild timeline. As a late bloomer, Haase would be a perfect part-time catcher for a win-now team like the Cardinals. It doesn’t hurt that he can play in left field, too.

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