Detroit Tigers general manager went out in the offseason and acquired his closer Francisco Rodriguez. In fact, bringing in Rodriguez was Avila’s first major trade in charge of the Tigers.
The man referred to as “K-Rod” wasn’t the only closer to change teams in the offseason. The New York Yankees made a splash by bringing in Aroldis Chapman.
While Rodriguez is continuing to close out games for Detroit, Chapman’s stay in the Bronx was much shorter. The Yankees flipped the flamethrower to the Chicago Cubs for a package of prospects. With the impending free agent dealt, the Yankees could conceivably trade some other pieces.