Target: Rick Porcello, RHP
Type of move: Trade
2012 stats: 10-12 record with a 4.59 ERA in 176 1/3 innings with 107 strikeouts and 44 walks
Porcello was once regarded as a can't miss type of guy — one of those pitchers that is destined to be an ace. But in recent years, he's fallen out of favor in Detroit, as the Tigers' front office has seemingly lost a lot of faith in him. As of now, it's a question whether he will even open the season in the starting rotation for the Tigers. Porcello is certainly no ace, but there's a couple of things to consider for the Rangers, who are in a search for a No. 5 starter now that Martin Perez is out for two months after fracturing his pitching arm on Sunday.
Porcello is a big-time groundball pitcher, in the same way as Matt Harrison, which always plays very well in Rangers Ballpark. And he's a big-time groundball pitcher in Detroit, where the Tigers have one of the worst defensive infields in baseball. The Rangers, on the other hand, have one of the best and perhaps the most range in the AL.
He could be a valuable addition as a No. 5 starter until Colby Lewis and Martin Perez get healthy, and then he could go on to the Scott Feldman role from last year as a long reliever and spot starter. And who knows, maybe a change of scenery could do the still-young 24-year-old some good.
