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Ah, the sweet nostalgia of 2017—a time when the Detroit Tigers were in the first steps of a full-blown rebuild. But alas, that project is now evidently a never-ending saga that haunts Comerica Park.
At the trade deadline in 2017, in a move that was supposed to signal a new era, the Tigers sent their franchise icon, Justin Verlander, to the Houston Astros in exchange for a trio of promising prospects: Franklin Pérez, Daz Cameron, and Jake Rogers. If this sounds like the opening of a tragic comedy, that’s because it is.
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Justin Verlander, one of the most defining and legendary pitchers of his generation, was supposed to finish his illustrious career wearing the Old English "D." Instead, he packed his bags for Houston, where all he’s done since is win two World Series titles, add a third no-hitter to his resume, and continue to cement his legacy as one of the greatest to ever take the mound.
Verlander’s time in Houston has been nothing short of Hall-of-Fame material—quite literally, as he’s been racking up accomplishments that will surely make his plaque in Cooperstown shine even brighter.
Meanwhile, the Tigers, the supposed beneficiaries of this blockbuster trade, have been trudging through a rebuilding phase that feels more like a purgatory of mediocrity. So, let’s take a moment to check in on the fruits of Detroit’s labor, shall we?
First up, Franklin Pérez. Pérez was supposed to be the crown jewel of the deal—a flame-throwing right-hander with ace potential. In reality, Pérez has been more of a mirage than a future star. Hampered by injuries and inconsistency, he’s spent more time on the injured list than on the mound.
Pérez has yet to make a single impact at the major league level, and with each passing season, the hope that he might turn into something remotely resembling an ace has all but evaporated. He’s currently pitching independent ball for the Gary SouthShore Railcats.
Yes, really. If you’re wondering whether Pérez’s minor league numbers are worth a mention, let’s just say they’re as forgettable as the Tigers’ recent seasons.
Next, we have Daz Cameron, the son of former MLB outfielder Mike Cameron. There’s a certain poetic sadness to the idea that the son of a solid major leaguer was expected to be part of the Tigers' resurgence.
Cameron has shown flashes of potential—nothing to write home about, but enough to keep him floating around as a fourth outfielder or an occasional starter.
He’s been serviceable, but serviceable doesn’t exactly scream “we traded away Justin Verlander for this.”
He played 73 games for Detroit from 2020-2022, hitting .201 five homers and nine steals. He’s currently hitting .188 for the A’s as a spare outfielder. He has a grand total of -0.6 Wins Above Replacement in the major leagues.
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Finally, there’s Jake Rogers, the catcher who was supposed to bring some much-needed stability behind the plate. Rogers has had his moments, especially defensively, where he’s shown promise as a strong-armed backstop.
But his bat? Let’s just say that if the Tigers were hoping for the next Pudge Rodriguez, they’ve instead gotten something closer to a poor man’s Mike Zunino. Rogers’ offensive contributions have been sporadic at best, and while he occupies a spigot in Detroit’s two-man catcher rotation right now, he’s hardly the centerpiece the Tigers were hoping for. Rogers has as 602 OPS in 2024. Blech.
So, what do we have here? A potential ace who now draws a check from a baseball team in Gary, Indiana, a ho-hum outfielder in Oakland yet to live up to his pedigree, and a catcher who’s more likely to catch a cold than catch fire at the plate. All while Justin Verlander continues to dominate, adding rings and accolades to his already stacked career.
Former Detroit general manager Alex Avila orchestrated this deal. To say he made a mistake is a gross understatement.
The Verlander trade, viewed in hindsight, looks less like a savvy rebuilding move and more like another chapter in the Tigers’ recent history of being chumps at the trade table. While Verlander rides off into the sunset with a Hall of Fame career, the Tigers are left with a trio of players who, collectively, haven’t done much to lift the franchise out of its extended rebuild. Thanks, Al Avila!
In the end, the 2017 trade might be remembered less for what the Tigers got and more for what they lost—a legendary pitcher who could have finished his career where it started, but instead went on to further greatness in another uniform. If that doesn’t sum up the last decade of Tigers baseball, I’m not sure what does.
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