LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) – When the Detroit Tigers indicated they were willing to listen to offers for their top players, Ian Kinsler became a prime candidate to be traded.
The second baseman tried his best to keep an even keel amid the offseason speculation.
“This is the club I want to be on. They’re all rumors,” Kinsler said Saturday. “Nothing happened, offseason went smooth, got myself prepared for today and leading up to the season. It’s all just talk.”
Indeed, there was no trade involving Kinsler – or any of Detroit’s top players. Instead, the Tigers largely stood pat, keeping their core of high-priced standouts together for what they hope will be another run at a postseason berth. Kinsler’s future remains uncertain because of his contract status, but for now at least, he’s in a familiar spot on a team that could still be a contender in the AL Central.
The Tigers have a team option on Kinsler for 2018, so if they start cutting costs in earnest next offseason, he could end up being a free agent. His performance last year – a .288 average with 28 home runs and 83 RBIs – already has made him a potentially valuable trade chip.