CBS Sports: Tigers 20th-most intriguing team at trade deadline

In terms of big names moving to new places, the Tigers are all but assured to be less of a player at the trade deadline than last season.

After all, most of their big names from last season already are in new places, with Justin Verlander, J.D. Martinez and Justin Upton long squared away in their new digs.

That makes the Tigers less of an interesting bunch for some as the non-waiver trade deadline approaches Tuesday, including CBS Sports, which ranked Detroit 20th on Thursday as far as the most intriguing teams at the deadline.

Trading ace Michael Fulmer — a popular name bandied about by baseball experts — for a bushel of prospects likely isn't going to happen, at least in part because he's on the shelf with an oblique strain, making him a more likely trade candidate in the winter, or next season. 

"Trading Michael Fulmer and/or Nicholas Castellanos would catch our eye," R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports writes. "Deals involving (pitchers) Francisco Liriano, Mike Fiers, and (outfielder) Leonys Martin would not. We're hedging by putting the Tigers closer to the bottom than the top, but they'll probably save the blockbusters for winter."

More: Where Tigers' trade candidates sit in 'flooded' market

Another player the Tigers could try to move is shortstop Jose Iglesias, a free agent this winter who's enjoying one of his better seasons at age 28. On Thursday, MLB.com listed Iglesias among 20 players it predicts to land new homes by the trade deadline, slotting him to the Cardinals.

He was the only Tigers player included among MLB's predictions.

Iglesias is hitting .265 and slugging .385, near his career high (.386, in 2013), with four home runs and 41 RBIs — also closing in on career bests (6 and 54, set last season) while playing his usual dazzling defense.

He drilled a three-run home run in Wednesday's 8-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals.

"Iglesias is an elite defender who's not a total zero with the bat (.269/.309/.383)," MLB.com's Mike Petriello writes. "Teams with guys like (the Diamondbacks' Nick) Ahmed or (the Brewers' Orlando) Arcia have their own version of that, so there's no need to move for Iglesias, and the Phillies might prefer to just give J.P. Crawford another shot when he's healthy.

"No, what we need instead is a team that is a mess on defense and has some versatility on the infield. What we need are the Cardinals."