The biggest bat available at the trade deadline is now off the market. The Arizona Diamondbacks struck a trade to acquire outfielder J.D. Martinez from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for three prospects. MLB.com's Jon Morosi first broke word of the trade and it has now been confirmed by the Detroit Tigers public relations account on Twitter.
Martinez comes over from Detroit in the midst of a career-best season for the 29-year-old. While he missed the first five weeks of the season, he has returned to form and put up some of the best numbers in his career to date. Across 232 plate appearances, Martinez posted a 162 wRC+, .413 wOBA and a 1.018 OPS. Manning right field, Martinez earned a 1.7 Wins Above Replacement despite porous defense in the corner outfield.
But this move is all about Martinez's bat. Arizona has often had to turn to Daniel Descalso in the corner outfield due to multiple injuries, now those days are over. More importantly, Martinez gives Arizona some added power from a right-handed hitter bringing its offense more balance and makes the lineup even deeper. The Diamondbacks entered Sunday with the eighth-most runs in baseball and the 12th-highest isolated power.
Arizona sits 10.5 game back of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West, but this move is more so about the wild card and winning the second half battle against the Colorado Rockies. As of Tuesday, the Diamondbacks held a half game lead over the Rockies and a six-game lead over the Chicago Cubs.
The move also doesn't severely cut into a farm system that already entered the year thin. Due to Martinez's expiring contract and the probability he leaves via the free agent market, Arizona paid for his services at a reduced rate. Financially, they'll pay the remainder of Martinez's contract over the rest of the season instead of receiving cash from Detroit and having to give up additional or better prospects.
For Detroit, the rebuild now begins for a team that once found itself in the thick of the playoff race every year. They faced an ultimatum in July, either trade Martinez for a package of prospects or lose him in the offseason for next to nothing.
In Dawel Lugo, the Tigers land a middle infield prospect who entered the year rated as Arizona's fourth-best prospect by MLB Pipeline. The 22-year-old offers nice tools, especially for the position with a 50-hit tool, 40-grade power, 60-grade arm and 50-grade fielding ability.
After a brief taste of Double-A competition to end the 2016 season, Arizona returned Lugo to the Double-A Jackson Generals for the 2017 season. His production at the level largely matches his skill set with a .282/.325/.428 slash line, .342 wOBA and 116 wRC+.
The future third baseman has consistently kept down the strikeout rate below 14 percent over the last two seasons. While he is largely inactive on the base paths, he has demonstrated decent pop with seven on the season. He could have a future as an every-day player at the MLB level, though the ceiling isn't very high.
Rated as Arizona's 15th-best prospect to begin 2017 season MLB Pipeline, Sergio Alcantara fits the mold much more as a future shortstop. The 21-year-old infielder from the Dominican Republic is largely a two-skill player that drew a 70-grade for his arm and 50-grade for his speed. He has spent all of 2017 in High-A Visalia, where he stole 12 bases on 22 attempts. The alarming caught stolen rate raises concerns as does a pedestrian 96 wRC+ and .323 wOBA. If he reaches the big leagues in a few years, it will likely come as a utility infielder with most of his appearances at shortstop.
Detroit's return rounds out with another middle infield prospect in Jose King. The 18-year-old turned in a strong debut in 2016 where he posted a .350/.402/.413 slash line, .402 wOBA, 141 wRC+ and 21 stolen bases in 61games at the Rookie-ball level. But things haven't gone as well this year with a .261/.333/.348 slash, .324 wOBA, 84 wRC+ and an atrocious 39.2 percent strikeout rate. As of now, his chances of ever reaching the majors seems slim.
Overall, the Diamondbacks come away the biggest winners in the deal. Even a two-month rental of Martinez's bat is worth three times as much what it cost them to land him. He provides an immediate upgrade to the lineup, will help those around him and should help them get back into the playoffs.