While it’s hard to find positives at this point in Al Avila’s tenure, there is one area where he and his staff have consistently done well. When this Tigers’ front office makes a short-term veteran acquisition, they usually get it right. So things went with the signing of centerfielder Leonys Martin in 2018. Martin rebounded to post one of the best seasons of his career, and the Tigers were able to flip him to the Cleveland Indians in July for a potential shortstop of the future, Willi Castro.
The Tigers have three shortstop options in the upper minors, and a quick look at them quickly makes one wish their strengths could be combined.