DENVER _ Justin Upton held the key.
As the days dwindled closer to the Detroit Tigers accepting their fate as a rebuilding team _ which they did in earnest Thursday afternoon by trading Upton to the Los Angeles Angels _ Upton's opt-out clause loomed largest over the situation at hand.
And as Upton continued to crush the baseball in the second half this season, it became evident he would exercise that opt-out and head to free agency with the hopes of finding a team that lined up better with his top priority: Winning.
Upton joined the Tigers two seasons ago for that reason, though the $132.75 million didn't hurt, either. And as this season spiraled out of control, it became blatantly clear to Upton _ and other veteran players, as well _ that Detroit is no longer a destination for winning.
What Upton's departure means is the Tigers have no choice but to embrace a rebuild, as painful as it may be. The front office has hinted at it dating back to last October, but with the trade market opposing them in the offseason, was unable to start the process sooner. Now, that process is in full force.
There was thought within the organization, one which didn't carry much optimism and wasn't shared by many, that the Tigers, with still a number of talented veteran players, could execute the kind of quick turnaround other teams have experienced around baseball.
That maybe, if many more things went right than wrong next season, they could be back in the playoff race.
Right-hander Justin Verlander expressed a similar sentiment a couple weeks ago, when looking around the clubhouse at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas, speaking of the players that could return and professing his belief that any Tigers team he played for would be expected to win.
But that expectation is no longer, not with Upton headed to Anaheim.
The truth is, if there was any chance the team could have competed next season, it would have been with Upton, its best offensive player this season, in tow. Even then, it likely wouldn't have been enough. But now, with Upton playing his hand, it's a certainty he will not be the last veteran player out the door.
The Tigers will move Verlander if not before Thursday's midnight non-waiver trade deadline _ a Verlander deal is thought to be possible but not probable _ then certainly in the offseason. They will move second baseman Ian Kinsler, too, when his value becomes more favorable in the offseason than it was this trade deadline season.
The name-brand recognition of the team will have disappeared by next season, leaving only first baseman Miguel Cabrera and young righty Michael Fulmer. But it's for the better.
The Tigers could not keep toeing the line between rebuilding and competing for any longer. The process likely should have started two seasons ago, but the allure of winning with this group of talented, veteran players was too much. In that offseason, the Tigers signed Upton and righty Jordan Zimmermann, two contracts that would be weighing the organization down significantly into the future.
Now, they've gotten rid of one of those contracts, creating some serious salary relief and taking the biggest step into a full-scale rebuild, which they have avoided for so long.
