Eugenio Suarez Is Perfect MLB Trade Deadline Addition To Boost Tigers Ailing Offense

It wasn’t too long ago that the Detroit Tigers had the best record in baseball, putting some distance between themselves and the competition.

Now, entering play on July 24, they are riding a brutal skid, losing nine out of their last 10 games.

That has allowed the pack to catch up to them, with the Toronto Blue Jays and Houston Astros now owning the best record in the American League with 60-42 marks; the Tigers are right behind at 60-43.

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The best record in baseball now belongs to the Milwaukee Brewers, who are 61-41.

A big reason for Detroit’s recent struggles is that its offense has gone cold over the last few weeks.

A July swoon has them potentially looking for upgrades to their lineup ahead of the MLB trade deadline, with third base being the most pressing need.

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Manager A.J. Hinch has been deploying All-Star Zach McKinstry there more often, but he is best suited for a utility role, playing all around the diamond. 

Inserting him into the lineup every day as the starting third baseman defeats that, but the coaching staff has to do what they feel is best to help the team win.

One player who could be available on the market who would be the perfect fit for the Tigers is Eugenio Suarez of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

“In the bigger picture, the Tigers' offense has slumped badly in July after nearly everyone overperformed in the first half, so the front office might be looking to add an impact bat such as Suarez and return McKinstry to a utility role,” wrote David Schoenfield of ESPN.

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A reunion with Suarez, who made his MLB debut with the franchise in 2014, would be the missing piece for this lineup.

He would not only provide an answer to their biggest hole at third base, but bring another power element and run producer to a lineup that needs a spark.

Suarez has already launched 36 home runs this year with 18 doubles. His run production has been elite with an MLB-high 86 RBI to this point.

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He has cut down on his strikeout rate for the third consecutive year and is hitting home runs at the most prolific rate of his career, with a HR% of 8.7%.

Only four players on Detroit currently has double-digit home runs on the season: Riley Greene, Spencer Torkelson, Kerry Carpenter and Javier Baez.

Adding another legitimate power threat in Suarez would be exactly what the team needs to get on track.

For more Tigers news, head over to Tigers On SI.