The Detroit Tigers are coming into the season with a huge injury to Jose Iglesias and now the shortstop could be out for the year and that has sparked some trade rumors involving Nick Franklin and Jimmy Rollins with the Seattle Mariners and Philadelphia Phillies, while Stephen Drew could be a free agent option for the team without a trade going down.
The Tigers are coming into the season with high expectations and they made a huge deal with Prince Fielder and Ian Kinsler this offseason and now that Iglesias out, they could pull off a trade ahead of Opening Day. According to Hardball Talk, MLB.com is reporting that the Tigers will make a "strong" play for Franklin and this comes after the team has checked in on Jimmy Rollins and they could look at Franklin as a potential long-term option if Iglesias is out all season. ESPN.com reported that Iglesias suffered "significant" shin injuries and it came from earlier in the spring and was something that the young shortstop couldn't shake.
The report says that Iglesias will be getting a second opinion, but either way, it looks like he will start the season on the disabled list and that means the Tigers are scrambling for a new shortstop for the season. ESPN writer Buster Olney writes that Stephen Drew may have finally found a place to sign this offseason despite having draft pick compensation attached to him, while the Mariners and Tigers could work a trade involving Nick Franklin. Franklin played second base last season, but he is a natural shortstop and with Robinson Cano signing and Brad Miller playing SS from last season, he is a man without a position for now.
The Mariners like Franklin, but they realize they could move him to get something of value in return and if the Tigers don't want to snag Drew, they could go after this deal. Funny enough, Iglesias was traded last season in a three-team deal from the Red Sox, where Drew was shortstop, and now he may come in as an option to take over after he put up solid numbers with a .253 average along with 13 homers and 67 RBIs in 124 games and he now has not been signed after he had a $14.1 million qualifying offer given to him from the Red Sox.
Franklin has been mentioned in numerous trade rumors this offseason due to the Cano signing and he has been playing well in the spring and on top of the interest from the Tigers, the Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays along with the NY Mets have been interested in Franklin. The tough thing for Drew is the Tigers would have to give up their first round pick to sign him and they may not want to do that and that is why GM Dave Dombrowski may look to Franklin or Rollins as a better option.
Rollins had had some issued this spring with his manager Ryne Sandberg and now he could possibly move, while Franklin has some solid power and hit .225 after his first real action in the major's last season as a rookie. That will cost less than Drew and according to Hardball Talk, Rollins has a full no-trade clause and he likely would not waive it to go play for the Tigers. Rollins said that he would not be waiving his trade clause and the article from CSN in Philly says it's likely because he is nearing the Phillies all-time hit record.
