Report: Tigers still open to trading Boyd, seek impact bat in return

Matthew Boyd served as the Detroit Tigers' lone impact player during their miserable 2019 season, but that doesn't mean he'll be in the Motor City for the long haul.

The Tigers are reportedly willing to discuss Boyd in trade talks this winter, just as they did during the regular season, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network.

Detroit has placed a rather high price tag on the left-hander. The team will apparently be asking for a young, impact position player - one that, if not already in the majors, is close to arriving - in any trade for Boyd, Morosi reports.

It's unclear what teams, if any, have spoken to the Tigers about Boyd in the early stages of this offseason.

Boyd started strong for the Tigers with an All-Star caliber first half, but fell off significantly down the stretch and allowed an American League-leading 39 homers.

That drop-off led to Boyd's final numbers resembling his career norms prior to 2019 (4.56 ERA, 4.32 FIP), but the 28-year-old did finish among the top 10 AL starters in strikeouts (a career-best 238), Ks per nine innings (11.6), and WHIP (1.23). He also accrued a 3.3 WAR and was the only qualified Tiger at any position who was worth more than two wins.

Boyd's first-half performance and status as a controllable, cost-effective rotation option led to him being pursued by contenders leading into the July 31 trade deadline, though he ultimately remained in Detroit.

The Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, and San Diego Padres were the three teams most heavily linked to Boyd in the summer. Detroit was said to have asked for top outfield prospect Kyle Tucker in its ill-fated talks with Houston.

Boyd, who has another three years of arbitration eligibility remaining, is projected by MLB Trade Rumors to earn $6.4 million in 2020.