While the Tigers picked up left-hander Justin Wilson in a trade this offseason with the Yankees, they weren’t the only AL Central club to attempt to acquire him. The Twins, too, made what they considered to be an aggressive offer to acquire Wilson and were surprised that their proposal was rejected in favor of Detroit’s package of right-handers Chad Green and Luis Cessa, reports Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Twins GM Terry Ryan wouldn’t offer any details into his club’s pursuit, though he did confirm that he was well aware that Wilson was available prior to his trade. Of course, the Twins’ alternative has worked out quite well for them to date, Berardino notes. Minnesota picked up Fernando Abad on a minor league deal, and an improved changeup (Abad terms it a “super changeup,” as he’ll throw it as slow as 65 mph) has yielded dominant results: zero earned runs, four hits, three walks, 12 strikeouts and a 55 percent ground-ball rate in 9 2/3 innings. Here are more notes on American League pitchers.
- The Angels are having Tyler Skaggs fly back to Los Angeles to evaluate his shoulder, MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez writes. Skaggs, who is recovering after having Tommy John surgery late in the 2014 season, made three rehab starts with Triple-A Salt Lake this month before being scratched last week due to what was initially described as “fatigue” but now appears to be shoulder tightness — a problem that would seem to be at least somewhat distinct from the elbow trouble that initially ailed him. Before his elbow injury, Skaggs was establishing himself as a solid young starting pitching option. It sounds like it might be a bit longer, at least, before he returns to where he was.
- Yesterday, the Tigers placed righty Shane Greene on the 15-day DL with a blister on his right middle finger, Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press tweets. In four appearances this year, the 27-year-old Greene has continued to struggle as he did throughout much of the 2015 season, and he now has a 6.80 ERA, 5.6 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 in 98 career innings since the Tigers acquired him in the three-team Didi Gregorius / Robbie Ray trade in the 2014-15 offseason. Top prospect Michael Fulmer started in Greene’s place yesterday.
