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The Detroit Tigers have wasted little time this offseason, pulling off a trade with the Boston Red Sox to land infield prospect Tsung-Che Cheng in exchange for cash. The move offers an early indication that the front office is prioritizing improvements up the middle while also remaining active in the free-agent market.
With a roster exceeding 40 players and several non-tender candidates, the Tigers could be involved in multiple trades before the current Collective Bargaining Agreement expires on December 1. Given that Detroit and Boston have already connected on a deal, it's worth examining which MLB franchises have been the most frequent trade partners with the Tigers, according to data from Baseball Reference.
Frequent Trade Partners
Among the teams that have completed the most trades with Detroit are the Baltimore Orioles (51), Cleveland Guardians (48), Minnesota Twins (46), Boston Red Sox (41), Athletics (39), Chicago White Sox (39), Atlanta Braves (38), Los Angeles Dodgers (38), New York Yankees (33), Pittsburgh Pirates (33), Cincinnati Reds (32), Chicago Cubs (28), Philadelphia Phillies (28), Texas Rangers (27), San Diego Padres (26), New York Mets (25), St. Louis Cardinals (25), Los Angeles Angels (24), San Francisco Giants (24), Washington Nationals (24), Houston Astros (21), Milwaukee Brewers (19), Seattle Mariners (18), Toronto Blue Jays (15), Tampa Bay Rays (12), Kansas City Royals (11), Miami Marlins (11), Arizona Diamondbacks (10), and Colorado Rockies (7).
Notable deals include the 2017 Justin Verlander trade to Houston, the 2014 three-team swap that brought David Price to Detroit, and the 2015 trade that sent Yoenis Céspedes to the Mets. The Tigers have also pulled off significant trades with the Red Sox (Rick Porcello for Yoenis Céspedes and others), the Cubs (Nick Castellanos for Alex Lange and Paul Richan), and the Dodgers (Tarik Skubal for three prospects).
While some partnerships have been more active than others, the Tigers' history suggests they are willing to work with any team if the right deal comes along. As the offseason progresses, expect Detroit's phones to stay busy, with several of these familiar partners potentially reaching out again.