The Los Angeles Angels and Detroit Tigers are reportedly in talks regarding Matthew Boyd and, while the two sides are not making imminent progress toward a deal, at least one prospect has been mentioned as part of a potential return, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network.
Outfielder Brandon Marsh was one name reportedly discussed between the two clubs. The 22-year-old was the 60th overall selection in the 2016 draft. Over 96 games at Double-A Mobile, Marsh has hit .300/.383/.428 with seven homers and 18 stolen bases.
Boyd, 28, is coming off a breakout season with the rebuilding Tigers. The left-hander authored a 4.56 ERA and 4.32 FIP over 185 1/3 innings but posted a much stronger 3.87 ERA and 3.57 FIP in the first half over 107 frames. His 30.2% strikeout rate was ninth in the majors among qualified starters, tying Shane Bieber while ranking ahead of Jack Flaherty, Stephen Strasburg, and Walker Buehler, among others.
Boyd is entering his first of three arbitration-eligible years and is projected to earn $6.4 million next year, according to MLB Trade Rumors.
The Angels have had a relatively busy offseason, most notably landing third baseman Anthony Rendon on a seven-year, $245-million contract. The team also added Julio Teheran and Dylan Bundy after the club's starting rotation ranked 30th in MLB by WAR last year, according to FanGraphs.
