Tigers confident they can trade Galarraga, the Yankees a possible destination

A day after the Tigers signed starter Armando Galarraga to a one year $2.3 million dollar contract then designating him for assignment, Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski is ‘confident’ that the team can find a new home for Galarraga. Dombrowski bases this off his belief that there is a limited number of free agent starters available and a number of teams still looking for starting pitching.
“It’s not like I have a for sure deal, but I do have enough clubs that have asked me about him,” Dombrowski said on a conference call with reporters.
The Tigers have 10 days to trade, release or assign Galarraga to a minor league roster if he isn’t claimed off of waivers. If he were to be demoted to the minor leagues the Tigers would still be responsible for this $2.3 million dollar salary. If they were to release him they would be responsible for part of his contract and obviously if they trade him his new team would be responsible for his contract.
Galarraga’s release came in large part due to the Tigers officially announcing the signing of Brad Penny. Penny did come to the Tigers with some injury concerns after missing the final four months of last season with a shoulder injury. However after having their doctors examine Penny the Tigers believe he is recovered from previous injuries and is in tremendous shape.
“When Brad Penny is healthy, we think he’s a good pitcher,” Dombrowski said. “And we think he’s healthy.”
Dombrowski does understand that there is always a risk in signing a pitcher as a free agent pitcher but believes that Penny is an upgrade over Galarraga and has the stuff to be better then a five spot pitcher.
“He does not have back of the rotation stuff,” Dombrowski said, before praising the right-hander’s mid-90s fastball, breaking ball and change-up.
There are rumors out there coming from the New York Daily News that the Yankees may be interested in acquiring Galarraga from the Tigers. New York is still in the market for starting pitchers after having a very lackluster off season in terms of signing free agents. Galarraga’s affordable contract would also make it easy for the Yankees to still go out and spend money on a fourth outfielder and DH. The trouble though with Galarraga is he is a fly ball pitcher who would be pitching in a launching pad that is the new Yankee Stadium. Galarraga is also very inconsistent and is seemingly more famous for his near perfect game then he is good.
Source: NY Daily News, Detroit Free Press, MLBTradeRumors.com, NBC Sports