As the MLB trade deadline nears on Tuesday, several teams are in pursuit of elite starting pitching. Look no further than Eduardo Rodriguez.
Eduardo Rodriguez has been one of the best pitchers in the American League this season for a reason. However, in order to send him elsewhere, the Detroit Tigers will demand top prospect capital in return.
That’s slightly difficult from Detroit’s perspective, especially since Rodriguez technically has a player opt out after this season. One way the Tigers could facilitate a trade would be asking Rodriguez to opt in for the remainder of his deal, or perhaps trading him to a destination of his choice in return.
If E-Rod were to hit free agency, he’d likely make more than the money guaranteed in his deal over the next few seasons. Hence, any trade won’t be easy, especially if Scott Harris wants a top-100 prospect in return.
MLB Rumors: A Dodgers-Tigers trade for Eduardo Rodriguez
Rodriguez is said to be the Dodgers top target at the deadline, along with Justin Verlander. It’s ironic that a current Tiger and former Detroit ace headline the pitching market in early August, but here we are. Any deal would have to include some to prospects in LA’s stacked farm system.
Rodriguez could acquire a top-100 prospect in Pepiot, who is ranked in the top-75 per MLB Pipeline. He is 25 years old and MLB-ready, so he could slide right into the Tigers rotation. By including Michael Lorenzen, Detroit can increase their prospect capital and add a solid middle-infield prospect like Vivas, as well as a lottery ticket outfielder like Munoz.