*Photo from the Boston Globe*
Looks like we got a trade right before opening day. The Detroit Tigers have acquired OF Austin Meadows from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for IF Isaac Paredes and a 2022 competitive balance draft pick, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Both teams have confirmed the trade.
Tigers top outfield prospect Riley Greene was on track to crack the team's opening day roster, before he fractured his foot at the end of last week on a foul ball. He won't need surgery, but will miss approximately 6-8 weeks barring setbacks. That necessitated another outfield addition, and Meadows is a good get.
In the Tigers outfield, Meadows is likely to take over in left field, which bumps Robbie Grossman to right field, with both Meadows and Grossman able to be the DH in certain occasions, when Miguel Cabrera needs a day off. Akil Baddoo will presumably be the starting center fielder, while Victor Reyes will serve as the 4th outfielder, and first off the bench.
Last season, his 3rd full season with the Rays, Meadows finished the regular season with a .234 batting average, with a .458 slugging percentage and .772 OPS, whacking 27 home runs to go with 106 RBI's, adding in 4 stolen bases in 142 regular season games.
Over 4 big league seasons, split between the Rays and Pittsburgh Pirates, Meadows has a .260 batting average with a .489 slugging percentage and .822 OPS, hitting 70 home runs to go with 225 RBI's in 375 games in the regular season. Meadows has a .145 average and .482 OPS, hitting 3 home runs with 8 RBI's in 25 career playoff games.
Paredes, the player the Rays are getting back, has played in 57 major league games, spread across the 2020 and 2021 seasons. In his major league career, he has a .215 batting average with a .302 slugging percentage and .592 OPS, hitting two home runs with 11 RBI's.
With the Rays infield picture full, Paredes will start the season with Triple A Durham. He joins Corey Kluber and Brooks Raley as notable offseason additions. With the Tigers, Meadows is the latest of an offseason haul that features Eduardo Rodriguez and Javier Baez.
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