May 24, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Jarren Duran (16) reacts after hitting a home run during the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park. Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Would The Tigers Trade Key Piece Of Young Rotation To Add All-Star Outfielder?

Originally posted on Detroit Tigers on SI
By Anders Pryor | Last updated Jun 4, 2025 7:00 PM ET

The Detroit Tigers have the best record in baseball at 40-22 and are setting themselves up for a run at the World Series many did not see coming.

The Tigers' success has been built on youth. Nearly all of their regular starters in the lineup are under 28 years old, all of their starting rotation is under 30, and they have one of the better farm systems in baseball, with players on the MiLB Top 100 Prospects list.

One of the biggest benefits to having so many good young players is the ability to trade away a sizable package of them for players ready to contribute now, while still having ample talent left over. Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer thinks Detroit is in that exact position and could pursue one of the newer names in the early MLB trade cycle.

Jarren Duran has been a key part of the Boston Red Sox's offense for several years. He's slashing .273/.318/.424 with 16 doubles, six triples, and four home runs. The Red Sox are having a disappointing year in comparison to their expectations of competing for the American League East.

The Tigers have the pieces to pull off a package for Boston, and Rymer has one in mind with Detroit getting Duran and the Red Sox getting pitcher Jackson Jobe and shortstop Bryce Rainer.

Jobe was one of the headliners of Detroit's farm system for several years and has had a solid start to his major league career. The rookie has a 4.22 ERA and 1.49 WHIP on the season and had a 2.70 ERA in the month of April.

He has a five pitch arsenal but relies on his four-seamer, slider, and sinker the most with all three pitches having above-average velocity.

Jobe is currently on the IL with a strained elbow flexor. The Red Sox do not have a bevy of pitching prospects, and many of the arms on their current roster are either older or on shorter contracts. Jobe could immediately step in as the future of the organization's rotation.

Rainer suffered a scary arm injury on Tuesday in a game for the Low-A Lakeland Flying Tigers, with a timeline still unknown. But at just 19 years old, he would not be contributing to either organization for a long time, regardless.

Rainer provides unique power at the shortstop position with a 60-power tool and 70-grade arm tool on the MiLB 20-80 grading scale. He is slashing an impressive .288/.383/.448 in Low-A Lakeland this season with five home runs and nine stolen bases. Boston has plenty of infield prospects, but with his ETA being so far away, there would be plenty of time for a spot on the team to naturally reveal itself.