The Tigers announced that left-handed reliever Blaine Hardy has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Toledo. The move gives Detroit one open spot on its 40-man roster.
Hardy debuted as a Tiger back in 2014 and has since amassed 159 1/3 frames of 3.62 ERA/3.74 FIP pitching with 7.57 K/9, 3.78 BB/9 and a 42.1 percent groundball rate. While that’s a useful career line, the 31-year-old hurt his stock last season with a dreadful campaign in which he logged a 5.94 ERA/5.38 FIP in 33 1/3 frames. With 7.56 K/9 and 3.51 BB/9, Hardy’s strikeout and walk numbers were normal, but his grounder percentage plummeted to 33.0. That helped lead to a personal-worst 1.89 home runs allowed per nine, a massive increase over Hardy’s career figure (0.68).
Thanks to a shoulder impingement, Hardy wasn’t able to make a case for a roster spot in Detroit this spring. He ended up appearing in just one of the Tigers’ exhibition games before they cut him from their 40-man roster. Because of both that injury and his woeful 2017, no one claimed Hardy, even though he’s cheap ($795K), controllable through 2021 and has a minor league option remaining. Hardy’s 2018 salary would have become guaranteed in two days, making this move all the more painful for him, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com notes.
Making room on the 40-man to re-sign Jairo Labourt, who they never should have DFA’d in the first place? Fingers crossed
Sure they should have. And two teams picked him up and promptly let him go. He just does not find the strike zone often enough.
He’s been released 3 times since then. In a try-out with Oakland he looked so bad they passed on the spot. He’ll land somewhere but not on anyone’s 40. You have to throw strikes.
The guy sucks why resign a guy who couldn’t make 2 other teams ?
Cue up CaseysPartner suggesting the Nats or the Braves should pick him up.
Needed the spot for Goodrum who it appears has made the club as a utility player. Hopefully Blaine gets healthy and takes the next step in his career development.
He’s been released 3 times since then. In a try-out with Oakland he looked so bad they passed on the spot. He’ll land somewhere but not on anyone’s 40. You have to throw strikes.
While It’s not a total shock, I’m at least mildly surprised that he cleared. He was a solid middle reliever before 2017
Solid middle reliever is how you describe the 11th pitcher on a 12 man staff. Not really a lot of upside. Even a loogy is an upgrade from that.
DFA the entire Tiger roster. Less than half get picked up.