The Tigers are still rooting around for innings, but that doesn’t mean that a certain long-time MLB hurler is destined for Detroit. GM Al Avila directly rejected a report from the Dominican Republic that suggested the Tigers were close to reaching a deal with Bartolo Colon, as Evan Woodberry of MLive.com writes. Still, there’s an obvious need for organizational depth. As skipper Ron Gardenhire puts it: “We don’t have enough [pitchers] down there in the minor leagues that can really come up and do anything right now. They’re not ready for this.”
More from the American League Central:
- Tigers infielder Josh Harrison is undergoing an MRI today after suffering an injury to his left hamstring, Gardenhire told reporters including Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter). The 31-year-old has been off to an ugly start with the bat, slashing just .176/.219/.265 in 146 plate appearances, but he’s a respected veteran presence and there’s still hope he could get things going and turn into a summer trade piece. It’ll be interesting to see whether the Tigers bring back Jeimer Candelario if Harrison requires an IL stint. The 25-year-old has stung the ball at Triple-A since being optioned. Dawel Lugo, who has struggled since being installed at third base, could be bumped over to second.
- It seems that a rehab assignment is the next step up for White Sox outfielder Jon Jay, as Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. Jay has taken quite some time to recover from an injury suffered this spring that, per Van Schouwen, “affected his hip, low back and groin.” The veteran outfielder is testing his body in extended Spring Training but seems to be on track to join an affiliate in short order.
- As if they needed the boost, the Twins may not go long without catcher Mitch Garver. As Judd Zulgad of SKOR North tweets, Garver is slated for a quick rehab assignment and could return to the MLB roster by the weekend. It seemed the outlook could have been much worse when he suffered a high ankle sprain recently. Garver, 28, has been one of baseball’s most intriguing early performers, turning in a .329/.418/.747 batting line with nine home runs in 91 plate appearances to open the year.
If the Twins had Cruz and Garver last night they would’ve beat the Brewers. We may need a better bullpen, but these two can’t come back soon enough.
As a 50+ year Indians fan, I can do little more than tip my cap to the start the Twins are having this year. You can always find pieces and parts to fix a leaky bullpen, but the Twins are just about to bury the Tribe before the 1st of June.
Thoroughly disgusted by the “product” that Antonetti and Chernoff have put on the field this year. Our window is slamming shut, and I am in the minority, but I think that the club needs to expedite the rebuild by shipping out Bauer AND Lindor this year. Yeah, I know they have a couple more years of control for Lindor, but this ownership group will never entertain the idea of ponying up the money it will take to keep Lindor in Cleveland. I’d rather pluck the top 3-4 players off a teams farm system now, rather than simply getting a draft pick for him after he departs.
I know it is a crazy thought, and people will give me crap about it, but this team needs to be torn down to the studs again, with the hopes of competing in 2 years, rather than 5+ years.
I don’t think that your idea is crazy at all. I’m a Pirates fan but the Indians are “my AL team”, so to speak. They got complacent this offseason IMO. They didn’t do nearly enough to improve their team while most of the rest of the division did. The Indians were only good enough to win their relatively mediocre division and acted like they were satisfied with that. If they aren’t going to make a real effort to win it all, then rebuilding or treading water are really the only 2 options.
Great post. I hate seeing mid/small market teams lose homegrown talent. That said, trading Lindor might land you enough elite prospects to skip a rebuild altogether (reload).
Gardy says the minor league pitchers “aren’t ready for this?” You mean receiving 0 run support with that despicable lineup you have?
That’s not Ron Gardenhire’s fault. The team is just bad.
The team isnt bad. The hitting and the bullpen other than Greene is. Its time for a new hitting coach. Keep working with the young pitchers until someone figures things out. Not looking forward to this bullpen once Greene is traded.
Jon Jay is as exciting as watching grass grow.
Sign Bartolo.
Anywhere but Detroit.