The Detroit Tigers have had a rough season. Expectations of challenging for a spot in the postseason have been dashed with an abysmal 27-43 record at this point in the season.
A team whose rebuild was expected to be over should temporarily re-open for this trade deadline season. And as such, here are four Tigers veterans who should be on the move come August 2nd.
Barnhart was not only the Tigers' first acquisition but also the first offseason acquisition by any team across MLB. The 31-year-old was acquired from the Cincinnati Reds less than 24 hours after the Atlanta Braves won the World Series.
Barnhart was brought in to handle the pitching staff and continue being one of the game's best pitch framers. To that extent, the Tigers have gotten exactly what they wanted from their catcher.
However, he is slashing just .221/.268/.250 in 47 games this season, with no home runs and seven RBI. His poor offensive showing may limit the number of interested teams, but if the Tigers can find a good trade package from a contender looking for a defensive upgrade behind the plate, they should pounce on it.
The 31-year-old will be a free agent at the end of the 2022 season.
Fulmer was an acquisition made early on in the rebuild. He was brought in from the New York Mets through the Yoenis Cespedes trade in 2015.
And initially, it seemed as if Detroit had an ace on its hands. Fulmer won the American League Rookie of the Year in 2016 and was an All-Star in 2017. However, the 29-year-old struggled with injury and ended up being moved to the bullpen.
Fulmer has since thrived as a relief arm. He's pitched to a combined 2.73 ERA from 2021-22, recording 100 strikeouts to just 32 walks in 78 appearances.
Like Barnhart, Fulmer is a free agent at the season's end. Detroit needs to decide whether they want to retain Fulmer's services; if not, they'd be wise to move him off now when they can.
Peralta has been a welcomed surprise for the Tigers over the last couple of seasons. He signed a minor-league deal in February 2021 but reached the majors after the Tigers suffered injuries to their rotation.
In 18 starts, Peralta went 4-5 with a 3.07 ERA, 58 strikeouts, and 38 walks in 2021. That earned him a one-year, $2.5 million contract for 2022.
The 33-year-old right-hander has been used primarily out of the bullpen this season, receiving just one start out of his 19 games. He pitched to a sparkling 1.91 ERA, with 24 strikeouts and 16 walks this season.
Peralta provides any team the ability to spot start due to injury and be a reliable arm out of the bullpen. How much interest there will be in the 33-year-old remains to be seen.
Jimenez is the only player on the list who has been with the Tigers organization their whole career. He was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2013 and emerged as one of the team's best prospects. It was thought that Jimenez would be the closer of the future.
However, things haven't entirely worked out that way. While he was an All-Star in 2018, he has struggled immensely in the major leagues.
The 27-year-old is in the midst of a career year. He's pitched to a 3.71 ERA with 36 strikeouts and seven walks in 28 games this season. It's a step in the right direction for the former All-Star.
The Tigers historically have held on to their assets well past the peak of their value. They should not make that same mistake here. Jimenez's value is the highest it's been in his major league career, and Detroit should get as much as they can for the 27-year-old.
