Should Padres should target Tigers outfielder Robbie Grossman by MLB trade deadline?

The San Diego Padres need outfielders, and the Detroit Tigers may have a great one to offer. The Tigers are reportedly “aggressively shopping” Robbie Grossman, according to Chris McCosky with The Detroit News.

Grossman is currently having one of the worst seasons of his career. He’s hitting .205/.313/.282 for an OPS of .595. However, he’s shown a lot more potential in seasons prior. Last season, in particular, was one of his bests. He hit .239/.357/.415 for an OPS of .772. He also hit 23 homers, a career-high.

According to Matthew Scheidel with Motor City Bengals, he was fourth in the league in walks drawn. He’s also great at hitting against left-handed pitchers.

The Padres hit fairly well against left-handed pitchers, but they could still utilize Grossman’s help to make the lineup better overall.

The Padres have had just shy of 2,700 plate appearances against right-handed pitchers this season and a little more than 1,200 against lefties. They’ve produced:

Padres vs RHP

• 238 AVG
• .312 OBP
• .375 SLG
• ..688 OPS

Padres vs. LHP

• .244 AVG
• .323 OBP
• .377 SLG
• .700 OPS

Given Grossman’s tough season, he may be fairly easy for the Padres to acquire. Considering his consistent success in previous seasons, they should target him.

Robbie Grossman may be an easy target for the Padres

Grossman is a veteran player eligible for free agency in 2023. For the most part, he’s had a successful career and has been a reliable hitter. He’s not a star player, especially not this season, so he may be a realistic option for San Diego.

The Padres are reportedly after multiple sought-after outfielders, including star Juan Soto, Ian Happ and Bryan Reynolds. They have a lot of competition and may not land them. To be considered, they’d have to put together big trade packages with some top prospects. However, they wouldn’t have to give up nearly as much with Grossman.

Grossman may be an under-the-radar idea because he isn’t gaining positive attention this season, but the Padres could benefit from him in a platoon situation and should be able to get him at minimal prospect cost.