The left-handed ace, who's been among baseball's most dominant starting pitchers this season, was placed on the IL with an injury that regularly takes at least six weeks to heal. The MLB trade deadline is about eight weeks away.
Detroit's recent run is fool's gold. Truth is, the Tigers could hasten their transition from decade-long rebuild to legitimate contention by moving E-Rod.
After an abysmal start, the Tigers are nearly at .500 and just a stone's throw out of first place in the AL Central. Imagine where they would be if their owner had invested even minimal resources into the team this season.
In fact, their origins go back to 1895 when owner George Vanderbeck decided to build Bennett Park at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull Avenues, which would remain the home for the Detroit Tigers for the next 104 seasons, until the final game in 1999.
Paws - that loveable character you see milling around Comerica Park on a warm summer day - is at the top of the list of America's favorite team mascots.