Tigers Trade For Shortstop Jose Iglesias
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
COMERICA PARK (CBS DETROIT) – A few weeks ago, the Detroit Tigers general manager did not want to deal.
The Boston Red Sox had reached out to Dave Dombrowski and asked if he was interested in trading for a shortstop since the Tigers' Jhonny Peralta had been implicated in the Biogenesis scandal and might be handed a long suspension at any time.
Then, Dombrowski said the Tigers did not need a shortstop. As the trade deadline neared and updates on the Biogenesis scandal increased, however, Dombrowski grew less certain.
On Monday, Dombrowski restarted the conversation with the Red Sox, and Tuesday those talks continued. As game time grew closer, the chat became serious, and as the end of the game approached, Dombrowski was feeling like a deal would soon be done.
After midnight Tuesday, the general manager announced that the Tigers had traded outfielder Avisail Garcia and reliever Brayan Villarreal to the Red Sox for infielder Jose Iglesias.
Dombrowski said the trade could have happened even if Peralta was not embroiled in the Biogenesis mess.
The general manager had twice in the week included Garcia on a list of top young prospects that Detroit would not part with unless they made a blockbuster deal.
Apparently the acquisition of Iglesias qualified as such.
"I fully expect Garcia to be a real good player, and I really don't want to watch him play 18 times a year, and I'm sure he's going to beat us at some times during that time period," he said.
"There will be times where people say, 'That Dombrowski was a …" he continued. "But I think it's more important about the player you're going to get in return. As long as we get a player that helps us at the same time, be a real good player, then that's what you want."
Garcia was hitting .382 with a .414 on-base percentage over 32 games in Triple-A Toledo. Iglesias is batting .330 with a .377 on-base percentage with the Red Sox, for whom he has played third base this season.
The moves were part of a three-team deal that also included the Chicago White Sox. Boston got starting right-hander Jake Peavy from the Chicago White Sox along with Villarreal of the Tigers. The White Sox received minor league righties J. B. Wendelken and Francelis Montas and minor league infielder Cleuluis Rondon along with Garcia of the Tigers.
