Baseball’s annual winter meetings were coming to a close Wednesday night as reporters gathered around the lobby elevators of the Harbor Tower, not far from the busy Grand Lobby Bar, at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego.
They were waiting to speak with Detroit Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris, still searching for his first significant move at the winter meetings. The clock was ticking.
At 9:17 p.m. Wednesday, the Tigers officially traded right-handed reliever Joe Jiménez to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for two prospects: third baseman/outfielder Justyn-Henry Malloy and left-handed reliever Jake Higginbotham.
“Trades are hard to make,” Harris said Wednesday night from his suite at the Manchester Grand Hyatt. “It’s really rewarding when you can target a player and go out and get him. Our main priority this offseason is to reshape our offensive identity, and this is a step in that direction.”
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“Probably fair price,” an industry source said of the Jiménez trade, adding Harris won’t acquire players without strike zone control. “Malloy should hit left-handed pitchers at least. Good at-bat, just doesn’t really offer anything defensively. Higginbotham is an inventory left-handed reliever, in my eyes.”
In High-A Rome, Malloy slashed .417/.493/.617 against left-handed pitchers and .271/.386/.438 against right-handed pitchers in 71 games, then moved in July to Double-A Mississippi for 54 games and in September to Triple-A Gwinnett for eight games. He is an expert at staying inside the strike zone, rarely chasing pitches, and has plus bat speed.
The trade, on paper, looks like a fair deal and a win for the Tigers. Harris only gave up one year of Jiménez and cash considerations, and in return, grabbed a pair of upper-level prospects with room for improvement as they develop. The Tigers are trying to collect controllable position players.
Malloy, who turns 23 in February, is expected to make his MLB debut at some point this season after starting in Triple-A Toledo.
“This has been a really productive week for us,” Harris said. “We’re pleased with the results.”
Two other relievers from the Tigers are coveted: left-hander Gregory Soto, a free agent after the 2025 season, and right-hander Alex Lange, a free agent after 2027. Left-handed starter Eduardo Rodriguez, owed $14 million for the upcoming season, could be a trade candidate, too, since he can utilize an opt-out clause in his contract after this season.
What I’m hearing
The Tigers haven’t been completely inactive on the free-agent market since the addition of left-hander Matthew Boyd on a one-year, $10 million contract, but for an idea of their spending preferences, they were never considered to be in the mix for outfielder Mitch Haniger. He signed a three-year, $43.5 million contract with the San Francisco Giants. The Tigers checked in about catcher Willson Contreras at the GM meetings in Las Vegas, but those discussions expired almost immediately. He received five years and $87.5 million from the St. Louis Cardinals.
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The Tigers have expressed interest in second baseman Adam Frazier (who is seeking a two-year contract), outfielder Wil Myers (who plays an above-average first base), third baseman/outfielder Brian Anderson (non-tendered by the Miami Marlins) and third baseman/first baseman/outfielder Edwin Ríos (non-tendered by the Los Angeles Dodgers), among others. The Tigers aren’t viewed as a frontrunner for Myers.
Frazier, an All-Star in 2021, also plays the corner outfield positions, draws walks, rarely strikes out and could be the team’s primary target in free agency. He hit .266 with 15 home runs, 111 walks (7.6% walk rate) and 177 strikeouts (12% strikeout rate) in 369 games over the past three seasons, and he turns 31 on Wednesday.
He fits the Tigers’ new offensive identity and has spoken to key decision makers in the organization, including manager A.J. Hinch. The biggest question: Will the Tigers meet Frazier’s asking terms? Several teams are interested.
The Tigers have not committed to Jonathan Schoop as the everyday second baseman in 2023.
“I think he can play a couple different positions,” Hinch said Tuesday. “I think first base is still going to be an option for him. I think third base is probably going to be an option for him. It depends on how the roster is built and what other guys we have available to us.”
Third baseman Jace Peterson, who appeared to be a fit for the Tigers, signed a two-year, $9.5 million deal with the Oakland Athletics. The Tigers checked in but wouldn’t commit to similar particulars. Infielder Aledmys Díaz joined the Athletics, as well, on a two-year, $14.5 million deal.
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As for pitchers, the Tigers have expressed interest in right-hander Seth Lugo as a starting pitcher with flexibility to move into the bullpen. The 33-year-old, a starter in 38 of his 275 career games, hasn’t started since the 2020 season. He had a 3.60 ERA last season with 18 walks and 69 strikeouts in 65 innings for the New York Mets.
Left-handed reliever Andrew Chafin has interest in returning to the Tigers after declining his player option, but he is expected to command a lucrative contract from a postseason contender. The Mets tried to trade for Chafin at last season’s trade deadline, so he is a natural fit there. Chafin and free-agent pitcher Chris Bassitt, possibly in the mix for the Giants, are close friends and played together with the A’s in 2021.
The Tigers are looking to acquire a catcher this offseason. Some options from the free-agent market include Austin Hedges, Curt Casali and Omar Narváez. Hedges would help the development of the young pitching staff.
Homefield dimensions
Harris was asked Tuesday about the Comerica Park dimensions.
He said the Tigers haven’t asked free agents for their opinions about the outfield dimensions — 398 feet in left-center field, 420 feet in center field and 402 feet in right-center field — but they have received questions from free agents. The distance to center field is the longest from home plate in baseball.
Harris suggested the topic is a non-factor in potential deals.
“I don’t really have a tangible update,” said Harris, who has been studying and discussing the situation with CEO and chairman Christopher Ilitch. “We are having conversations about enhancing the experience for all of the stakeholders.”
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Pitchers, hitters, coaches and fans have strong opinions on the Comerica Park dimensions. When asked for his opinion, Harris prefaced his answer by offering a reminder that could be telling: He hasn’t watched a full season of baseball at the ballpark in Detroit.
“My general opinion on dimensions is that I would prefer to be on one side of the aisle or the other,” Harris said. “I would prefer to have the opportunity to have some asymmetry in the environments that we’re playing. Whether we are on one side of the aisle as a pitcher’s park, or on the other side of the aisle as a hitter’s park, we have the opportunity to build a team a certain way to take advantage of the dimensions 81 times a year, because we are the only team that plays in our environment 81 times a year. I would prefer not to be right down the middle.”
The payroll
The Tigers spent significant money last season — Rodriguez on a five-year, $77 million contract and Javier Báez on a six-year, $140 million contract — but ranked 17th in MLB with a payroll of about $135 million on the 2022 Opening Day roster.
Harris, on Tuesday, was asked if the figure would change or stay the same.
The Tigers have approximately $120 million committed to the 40-man roster, with $68 million tied up in three players: Miguel Cabrera ($32 million), Báez ($22 million) and Rodriguez ($14 million). After the 2023 season, Cabrera’s contract expires, and Rodriguez and Báez can opt-out.
“I’m never going to comment on our payroll,” Harris said. “We have a firm idea of what our payroll is going to be, but strategically, it just doesn’t make sense to disclose that, to broadcast that across the league. I’m just not going to comment.”
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold.