One day before baseball’s July 31 trade deadline, it appears that the Detroit Tigers may have finally found their starting pitcher.
ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick reported Saturday morning that the Tigers and Seattle Mariners are close to a trade that would bring right-hander Doug Fister to Detroit. Among the players going to Seattle would be reliever Charlie Furbush and probably an outfielder, reported to be Casper Wells.
Top prospect Jacob Turner is starting for the Tigers on Saturday, in place of Duane Below. Below would presumably replace Furbush in the Tigers’ bullpen, at least until the trade is completed.
Other reports have said that the Tigers also want a reliever included in the deal, and that’s why the trade has not been completed yet.
However, the Mariners do not want to include closer Brandon League (23 saves this season), so it’s believed that right-hander David Pauley (5-4, 2.15 ERA in 39 games) would be the other player going to the Tigers.
Fister’s record for the Mariners this season doesn’t look particularly impressive at 3-12. But his ERA is 3.33 and the Seattle lineup has provided very little run support for him. In 16 of his 21 starts this year, the Mariners have scored two runs or fewer.