Tigers Rumors

Tigers Outright Drew Hutchison

By Mark Polishuk | August 26, 2021 at 1:25pm CDT

AUGUST 26: Hutchison has cleared waivers and been sent outright to Triple-A Toledo, per the team. As a player who has previously been outrighted in his career, he has the right to elect free agency.

AUGUST 23: The Tigers have reinstated outfielder Akil Baddoo from the 10-day injured list. The team also announced that right-hander Drew Hutchison was designated for assignment, opening up space for Baddoo to rejoin the active roster.

Baddoo hasn’t played since August 10 due to a concussion, as he was first placed on the seven-day concussion IL and was then moved to the normal 10-day IL so he could get a few rehab games under his belt. Just a week removed from his 23rd birthday, Baddoo returns to continue what has already been an impressive rookie season. Originally a second-round pick for the Twins in the 2016 draft, the Tigers selected Baddoo in last December’s Rule 5 Draft, putting Baddoo in line to jump from high-A ball in 2019 right to the majors.

The outfielder has wholly embraced the opportunity, hitting .267/.333/.467 with 10 homers and a league-high six triples over 333 plate appearances. Baddoo’s excellent speed has resulted in a .345 BABIP and helped him overcome a lot of soft contact numbers, though he is still a work in progress (-5 Defensive Runs Saved, -4.6 UZR/150) as an outfielder, mostly splitting time between left and center field. Since Baddoo will surely finish the season on the active roster, the Tigers will officially acquire his rights from Minnesota, giving Detroit another intriguing young building block going forward.

Hutchison signed a minor league deal with the Tigers in the offseason and made two appearances after his contract was selected last week. The righty (who just turned 31 yesterday) posted a 3.00 ERA over two abbreviated starts, tossing six innings and recording four walks against only two strikeouts.

Apart from 42 2/3 innings with the Phillies and Rangers in 2018, Hutchison hadn’t pitched in the big leagues since 2016. A veteran of six MLB seasons overall, Hutchison could get a look from another team seeking pitching depth on the waiver wire, or the Tigers could outright him to Triple-A for their own depth purposes if he clears waivers.

Miguel Cabrera: Planning To Play “Two More Years”

By Anthony Franco | August 25, 2021 at 9:57pm CDT

Miguel Cabrera recently hit his 500th home run, a marquee achievement for one of the most accomplished players in MLB history. Asked by Sage Steele of ESPN this morning how long he planned to continue his illustrious career, Cabrera said he expects to conclude after the 2023 season (h/t to Chris McCosky of the Detroit News).

“Two years, that’s it,” Cabrera told Steele. “My right knee is really bad. I need to take care of this in the offseason and prepare myself for next season. I’m going to play two more years. I think that’s enough. I will be happy with 20 years in the big leagues if I can make it. I would say thank God for the opportunity and I say two more years and I’m done.”

While it’s not surprising to hear Cabrera is planning to retire two years from now, today’s comments were notably more conclusive than when he addressed the subject last September. At that time, Cabrera left open the possibility of playing beyond 2023. Obviously, improved health or performance over the next couple seasons could change the calculus, but Cabrera’s comments this morning mark the 38-year-old’s most definitive declaration to date of his long-term plans.

It’s no coincidence that the guaranteed portion of Cabrera’s March 2014 contract extension concludes at the end of that 2023 season. Cabrera will make successive $32MM salaries in 2022 and 2023, in addition to an $8MM buyout of a $30MM vesting option for the 2024 campaign. (Cabrera’s option would only vest if he finished in the top ten of MVP award voting in 2023, which is obviously extremely unlikely).

Still, it wasn’t out of the question Cabrera could’ve looked for another opportunity in free agency over the 2023-24 offseason. Instead, it seems he’s content to wrap things up once his time with the Tigers comes to an end. In addition to reaching 500 home runs, Cabrera should record his 3000th hit at some point over the next calendar year (he’s at 2958 currently). As he mentioned, Cabrera will also reach twenty years of MLB service time in 2023, assuming the Tigers keep him on the roster through the end of his deal. Reaching those milestones over the coming seasons will symbolically cement his status as one of the greatest hitters of all time.

Tigers Outright Renato Nunez

By TC Zencka | August 23, 2021 at 2:30pm CDT

Aug. 23: Nunez went unclaimed on waivers and has been assigned outright to Triple-A Toledo, the team announced. While Nunez had the option of declining the assignment in favor of free agency, MLB.com’s Jason Beck tweets that Nunez will instead remain with the organization and head to Toledo.

Aug. 21: The Tigers have reinstated Derek Hill from the 10-day injured list. To make room on the roster, Renato Nunez was designated for assignment, per the team.

Nunez joined the Tigers after being released by the Orioles in November. He’s spent most of the season in Triple-A, where he slashed .291/.383/.585 in 311 plate appearances. Despite that impressive showing, the success hasn’t translated to the bigs. Nunez has appeared in 14 games, amassing 55 plate appearances and slashing .189/.218/.472. Nunez is likely to accept an assignment back to Triple-A, as he’s done earlier this season.

Hill was out the minimum amount of time with a ribcage contusion. He missed some time earlier this season with a shoulder sprain. The 25-year-old rookie outfielder owns a .250/.345/.316 triple slash line through 87 plate appearances this year. He’ll return to the mix in centerfield, along with Daz Cameron and Victor Reyes.

Tigers Acquire Dustin Garneau From Rockies

By Anthony Franco | August 18, 2021 at 5:38pm CDT

The Tigers announced they’ve acquired catcher Dustin Garneau from the Rockies in exchange for cash considerations. Garneau was on a minor league deal and hasn’t played in the majors this season, which is why he was eligible to be traded even after the July 30 deadline. That’s about to change, however, as Detroit immediately selected Garneau to the big leagues, optioning outfielder Jacob Robson to Triple-A Toledo in a corresponding move. To clear space on the 40-man roster, Detroit transferred catcher Jake Rogers from the 10-day to the 60-day injured list.

Garneau signed a minor league deal with Detroit over the offseason. He missed a good bit of the season due to a wrist fracture and exercised an opt-out in his minor league deal last month after just 60 plate appearances with Toledo. The 34-year-old hooked on with the Rockies — his first big league organization — on a minor league deal in late July.

Assigned to their top affiliate in Albuquerque, Garneau has gone on to hit .229/.357/.400. That’s not overwhelming production, but the Tigers are obviously familiar with Garneau from his earlier stint in the organization. With teams’ options to acquire players rather limited, it’s understandable Detroit circled back to a respected veteran backstop who has some Spring Training and Triple-A experience working with members of their pitching staff. The cash was likely a nominal consideration for the Rockies, but there’s little harm for Colorado in allowing Garneau to get a big league opportunity elsewhere if they weren’t prepared to offer him one themselves.

Tigers starting catcher Eric Haase is unavailable this evening after leaving last night’s game with low back tightness. That left Grayson Greiner as the only viable defensive catcher on the roster, so the Tigers acted quickly to bring in Garneau for depth.

Rogers was part of that catching group earlier this season, but he hasn’t played since landing on the injured list on July 17 with a pronator strain in his right arm. Today’s IL transfer rules him out for sixty days from the date of his original placement, so he can’t return to the big leagues until mid-September at the earliest.

Tigers Release Buck Farmer

By Anthony Franco | August 17, 2021 at 1:53pm CDT

The Tigers announced they’ve placed right-hander Buck Farmer on unconditional release waivers. Upon clearing the waiver wire, he’ll become a free agent. Farmer was designated for assignment over the weekend.

The move brings to an end Farmer’s eight-year tenure with the Tigers. Selected in the fifth round of the 2013 draft, Farmer pitched his way to the big leagues by the end of the 2014 campaign. He’s spent a good portion of the past seven years in the Detroit bullpen, often working as a multi-inning option for Tigers managers in addition to a brief look in the rotation in 2017.

While Farmer struggled over his first few seasons, he settled in as a decent middle innings option by 2018. Between 2018-20, Farmer pitched to a 3.92 ERA/4.20 FIP over 158 1/3 frames of relief. He’s struggled mightily this season, though, managing just a 6.37 ERA in 35 1/3 innings. Farmer’s walk rate has spiked to an untenable 12.3% and he’s been tagged for nine home runs (2.29 HR/9).

Farmer signed a $1.85MM contract to avoid arbitration over the winter. The Tigers will remain on the hook for that salary, with any team that signs Farmer owing him just the prorated portion of the league minimum for any time he spends in the big leagues. Given his decent track record coming into the year, the 30-year-old shouldn’t have trouble latching on elsewhere via minor league deal.

AL Central Notes: Garcia, Rodon, Mondesi, Bieber, Civale, Teheran

By Mark Polishuk | August 15, 2021 at 4:08pm CDT

The White Sox placed utilityman Leury Garcia on the seven-day concussion injured list today, retroactive to August 13. Infielder Danny Mendick was called up from Triple-A in the corresponding move. The versatile Garcia has received multiple starts at six different positions this season, including 28 games at second base and 46 games spread across all three outfield spots. Now in his ninth season with the White Sox, Garcia’s super-utility status has made him a valuable bench piece and a semi-regular starter, even though he hasn’t contributed much at the plate.

Due to the nature of concussion symptoms, it isn’t known how much time Garcia could miss. The Sox do have a bit more of a timeline lightly sketched out for Carlos Rodon, however, as manager Tony La Russa suggested to reporters (including MLB.com’s Scott Merkin) that Rodon might pitch during Chicago’s four-game series against the Blue Jays that runs from August 23-26. Rodon’s 10-day IL placement due to shoulder fatigue retroactively began on August 8, and though La Russa said at the time that Rodon would likely be out of action beyond the 10-day minimum, a return against Toronto would still represent a relatively quick comeback for the left-hander.

Injury Notes: Hoskins, Galvis, Boyd, LeBlanc, Kim

By Darragh McDonald | August 15, 2021 at 9:33am CDT

Rhys Hoskins isn’t expected to come off the injured list when first eligible, per Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia. The minimum 10-day stint will have elapsed by Tuesday, but Hoskins still hasn’t tested his injured groin by running. The first baseman just received a cortisone injection to try and aid his recovery and is still aiming to be activated at some point this week. Every game is crucial for the Phillies as they are in the thick of a three-team race for the AL East crown. They are currently tied with Atlanta for the top spot, with the Mets just 1 1/2 games behind. Hoskins is having another fine season at the plate, slashing .244/.332/.509, which is 23% better than league average by wRC+.

Salisbury also notes that Freddy Galvis has started taking batting practice and is progressing towards a rehab stint. The infielder was on the injured list with a quad strain when the Orioles traded him to the Phillies before the deadline. Before getting hurt, he was slashing .249/.306/.414. That amounts to a wRC+ of 97, which is below league average but a career high for Galvis. Despite never being a huge offensive threat, he’s long been a valuable contributor because of his excellent glovework.

Other notes from around the league…

Matthew Boyd is rehabbing and hoping to return before the end of August, reports Chris McCosky of The Detroit News. The lefty was placed on the IL in mid-June with a triceps issue but now potentially a few weeks away from returning. Boyd has a year of team control remaining before reaching free agency and figures to be an important part of the Tigers’ 2022 rotation as they look to move from rebuilding to contending. If he stays on track with his rehab, he could get more than a month’s worth of work in before the offseason. Prior to the injury, Boyd had an ERA of 3.44 on the year through 70 2/3 innings.
Neither Wade LeBlanc nor Kwang Hyun Kim are expected to come off the IL as soon as they are eligible, according to Cardinals manager Mike Shildt, per Jeff Jones of MLB.com. Kim, who has a 3.36 ERA in 91 innings this season, has been out since August 9th with elbow inflammation. LeBlanc, who also is dealing with an elbow issue, has an ERA of 3.61 in 42 1/3 innings for St. Louis this year. However, the rotation just welcomed Jack Flaherty back into the fold and could soon see a return of Miles Mikolas, who is currently on a rehab assignment. The club is currently 4 1/2 games behind a slumping Padres club for the final NL playoff spot, but with three teams in between them.

Tigers Designate Buck Farmer For Assignment

By Mark Polishuk | August 14, 2021 at 8:59pm CDT

The Tigers have designated right-hander Buck Farmer for assignment, according to multiple reports. The move opens a spot on the 40-man roster for Drew Hutchison, as the right-hander’s minor league contract will be selected so he can start tomorrow’s game against the Indians.

Detroit previously designated Farmer back in May, and he cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A before his contact was again selected in June. It’s been a rough year for Farmer, who has a 6.37 ERA over 35 1/3 innings, with an inflated 20.5% homer rate and 12.3% walk rate contributing to those struggles. However, a clear line can be drawn between Farmer’s performance before and after his first DFA — the righty had a garish 12.66 ERA in 10 2/3 IP in April and May, but has a much more respectable 3.65 ERA in 24 2/3 IP since returning to the big league roster in June.

Given this recent good form, Farmer’s decent numbers out of the Tigers’ bullpen from 2018-20, and the number of contenders who could use relief help, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Farmer was claimed during this latest trip on the DFA waiver wire. He also has the option of declining another outright assignment in order to test free agency.

A fifth-round pick in the 2013 draft, Farmer has spent his entire pro career in the Tigers organization, including eight big league seasons. There have been plenty of ups and downs, though Farmer seemed to have found a niche after becoming a full-time reliever in 2018. The 30-year-old is earning $1.85MM this season and has one more year of arbitration eligibility remaining before being eligible for free agency following the 2022 campaign.

Hutchison signed a minor league deal with the Tigers last winter, and his start will mark his first Major League game since 2018. Perhaps best known for his early-career status as a promising starter in the Blue Jays organization, Hutchison was beset by a Tommy John surgery and never really lived up to his potential, bouncing around to several teams at the major and minor league levels, as well as some independent teams. Hutchison has a 5.10 ERA over 460 1/3 career innings in the Show in parts of five MLB seasons, and he has a solid 3.63 ERA in 84 1/3 IP for Triple-A Toledo this year.

Tigers Select Jacob Robson, Transfer Matthew Boyd To 60-Day IL

By Anthony Franco | August 12, 2021 at 10:20am CDT

Aug. 12: The Tigers formally selected Robson’s contract, clearing space on the active roster by placing Goodrum on the 10-day injured list, as Hinch indicated.

Lefty Matthew Boyd was transferred from the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL to create a 40-man roster spot. Boyd’s move to the 60-day IL is retroactive to his initial placement, which came 59 days ago, so it’s largely a procedural move. He was sent out on a Triple-A rehab assignment today and would need a couple starts at least before being activated, so today’s transfer does nothing to impact his timeline.

Aug. 11: The Tigers are planning to select the contract of Jacob Robson tomorrow, manager A.J. Hinch informed reporters (including Chris McCosky of the Detroit News). He’ll take the active roster spot of utilityman Niko Goodrum, who will land on the injured list after leaving this evening’s game against the Orioles with a left groin strain. The Tigers will need to make a 40-man roster transaction tomorrow to finalize Robson’s promotion.

Detroit selected Robson in the eighth round of the 2016 draft out of Mississippi State. The left-handed hitting outfielder has spent parts of five seasons in the minor leagues and is now in line for his major league debut. Robson has never hit for much power, but he’s posted very strong batting averages and walk rates throughout his pro career, resulting in an overall .294/.382/.424 line in just over 2000 plate appearances.

Robson has never been seen as a top prospect because of his lack of impact physicality. He’s appeared near the back of Detroit organizational rankings at FanGraphs and Baseball America in recent seasons, though, with evaluators praising his hit tool, speed and makeup. The 26-year-old has logged extensive action at all three outfield positions.

While Robson has struck out at an alarming rate (35.9%) in Triple-A this season, he’s nevertheless managed a strong .280/.397/.440 line over 209 plate appearances. Robson has had some obvious good fortune (.463 batting average on balls in play) to hit .280 despite striking out so often. But he’s run incredibly high BABIPs throughout his minor league tenure, with his line drive, all-fields approach creating havoc for opposing defenses. Robson’s minor league performance earned the Ontario native a spot on the Canadian Olympic team this summer.

It has been a difficult season for Goodrum, who’s hitting just .224/.304/.348 over 237 plate appearances. The lefty-hitting utilityman looked like a potential regular for the Tigers after solid performances between 2018-19, but he’s followed that up with back-to-back down years as his strikeout rate has spiked. He’ll now have to work his way back from injury; the Tigers have yet to provide a timetable on his potential return.

Tigers Select Renato Nunez, Place Akil Baddoo On 7-Day IL

By Steve Adams | August 11, 2021 at 1:23pm CDT

The Tigers have selected the contract of infielder Renato Nunez, recalled infielder Zack Short from Triple-A Toledo and placed outfielders Akil Baddoo and Derek Hill on the injured list, per a club announcement. Baddoo is heading to the seven-day concussion list, while Hill has been placed on the 10-day IL with a ribcage contusion. Hill and Baddoo sustained their injuries on a frightening, full-speed collision at the wall in left-center field in yesterday’s win over the Orioles.

This will be the second big league stint of the season for Nunez, who hit .148/.207/.444 with a pair of homers in 29 plate appearances earlier in the year. The 27-year-old went unclaimed when Detroit placed him on waivers earlier in the year, and he accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A Toledo, where he’s batted .291/.383/.585 (153 wRC+) with 20 home runs, 14 doubles and a pair of triples in 311 plate appearances.

The second big league stint could prove to be something of a longer-term audition for Nunez, who has a decent big league track record at the dish. From 2018-20, he posted a .250/.316/.457 batting line with 51 homers in 1076 plate appearances between Oakland and Baltimore. Nunez’s power production in Baltimore resulted in a good bit of surprise among fans when the O’s placed him on waivers prior to Dec. 2020’s non-tender deadline, but no team claimed the slugger, whose defensive limitations and sub-par on-base percentage have sapped some of the value that power brings to the table. That said, he’ll now get another run with the Tigers, who’ll have the option of controlling him all the way through 2024 if he impresses enough.

As for the 22-year-old Baddoo, the injury throws a wrench into his hopes for a late Rookie of the Year push. Baddoo was a surprising pick by the Tigers in the Rule 5 Draft, having missed most of the 2019 season due to Tommy John surgery and spending the 2020 season recovering. He hadn’t played at either the Double-A or the Triple-A levels, but he’s shown barely any signs of rust, hitting at a .267/.333/.467 pace with 10 home runs, 18 doubles, six triples and 14 stolen bases. He wasn’t necessarily a Rookie of the Year favorite, but Baddoo, Randy Arozarena, Luis Garcia and Cole Irvin are among the AL rookies who could’ve conceivably separated themselves with a big finish.

There’s no word on how long Baddoo will be sidelined, as it’s difficult to project recovery timetables for concussions and concussion-like symptoms. He’ll spend at least a week on the shelf, though, and he’ll automatically be moved to the 10-day IL if he’s not ready for reinstatement once 10 days have passed.

Hill, meanwhile, had been in line for his first real look in center field at the big league level. Through 87 plate appearances, the former first-rounder was batting .250/.345/.316 with a home run, a triple and six steals. As with Baddoo, there’s no projected timetable for his recovery. With Baddoo and Hill both joining Daz Cameron on the injured list, the Tigers will look to Robbie Grossman, Victor Reyes and perhaps Harold Castro or Nunez in the outfield.

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