Brian Manzullo

Detroit Free Press

With almost two months of baseball over with, it's a good time to dream about possible Detroit Tigers trade prospects.

Jim Bowden's got us covered.

The ESPN baseball analyst entertained a few names that could be used as trade bait this July, given the current landscape of contenders, pretenders and expiring contracts.

The Tigers, once again, clearly could use some pitching help. They rank 24th in the majors with a 4.43 team ERA, with both starters and relievers struggling. Opposing batters are hitting .268 off the Tigers. That ranks fourth-worst in baseball.

Bowden floated out two veteran players who seem like good possibilities for the Tigers: San Diego Padres right-handed starter James Shields and Los Angeles Angels right-handed reliever Joe Smith.

"His $21 million annual salary through 2018 will scare most teams off," Bowden wrote of Shields. "However, for the right prospect package, the Padres would eat enough to make a trade possible. ... Best fit: Detroit Tigers, because no owner is more willing to spend more money to win than Mike Ilitch."

Shields, 34, is 2-6 with a 3.06 ERA in 10 starts for the Padres, who are 19-29 entering Thursday night's games and dead last in the National League West division.

As for Smith, his season hasn't been very smooth, either -- a 4.30 ERA and 1.17 WHIP in 22 relief appearances -- but the 32-year-old has a 2.94 career ERA with the New York Mets, Cleveland Indians and Angels.

The Tigers (23-23) opted to sell off at last year's trade deadline, trading the likes of David Price, Yoenis Cespedes and Joakim Soria away to contenders, but they enter this trading season without expiring contracts as valuable as those three.

Contact Brian Manzullo: bmanzullo@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrianManzullo.

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