The Detroit Tigers have a defined goal this offseason of figuring out how to improve enough to get over that final hump and play for an American League title following back-to-back ALDS exits.
This conversation of course starts as it does for every team with internal improvements and players taking the next step in order to improve both their own personal performance, in turn improving the team.
One Detroit fan favorite though may have already maxed out what he’s capable of being with the Tigers, and president of baseball operations Scott Harris could potentially try to move on before another rough year derails any sort of value.
If Detroit wants to get some trade value out of super utility man Matt Vierling, now would be the time to do just that.
Tigers Could Try to Move On from Matt Vierling in Offseason Trade
Though Vierling’s versatility is something that every team needs in at least a couple of their players, 2025 was a rough go for the 29-year-old after a career campaign in 2024. Over 144 games a year ago, Vierling posted a bWAR of 3.0 aided by a slash line of .257/.312/.423 with 16 home runs and 57 RBI.
His season this year was basically over before it started, spending a long stint on the injured list to begin the campaign and playing just 31 games during which he was responsible for a -0.3 bWAR.
If Detroit was going to try to move on from him, most teams would be willing to overlook the dreadful 2025 performance and chalk it up to the injury, giving Harris a chance to dangle the 2024 version of Vierling to interested teams.
In this scenario, there’s no question that Vierling would fetch a return which could help the team both now and in the future.
Do Tigers Have Space for Vierling This Season and Beyond?
The reality with a player like Vierling is that he has to play wherever he’s needed, and frequently in 2024, this was the third base spot. This was a massive weakness in 2025 as a platoon including Zach McKinstry, Andy Ibáñez and others did not produce.
In fact, it was such a hole in the lineup that Detroit needs to do more than just getting a healthy Vierling back there, which is why they have been linked to Alex Bregman for two straight off-seasons now.
The Tigers may or may not land him this time around, but if they can’t, they have to land someone in the middle ground between the production that Bregman and Vierling bring.
Vierling is a nice piece to have around, but he cannot be a critical piece of the lineup again either at third or in a corner outfield spot. With weaknesses in the pitching staff especially in the bullpen, trading Vierling for some big league help could prove to be the best case scenario for all parties involved.
Time will tell if Harris actually considers it, but there’s a real argument to be made to trade Vierling and move on in favor of some other faces.
