The Tigers announced Thursday that they’ve granted right-hander Alex Wilson his release. He’d been in Spring Training as a non-roster invitee to camp prior to the league’s shutdown.
Wilson, 33, had a successful stint with the Tigers from 2015-18 when he racked up 264 2/3 innings of relief and pitched to a 3.20 ERA/3.87 FIP with 5.9 K/9, 2.1 BB/9 and a 46.4 percent ground-ball rate. He opened the 2019 season with the Brewers and struggled greatly, though, allowing more than a run per inning in 11 1/3 frames before being cut loose.
Back in May, Wilson spoke to Chris McCosky of the Detroit News about the uncertainty he was feeling as a veteran non-roster player in limbo. Wilson, who was working on reinventing himself as a side-armer, said at the the time he hoped expanded rosters and the organization’s familiarity with him would position him well for a bullpen job. Today’s announcement makes clear that the rebuilding Tigers didn’t feel that to be the case. With myriad younger options available, the Tigers could simply use expanded rosters as a means of evaluating less-experienced options who could be part of the club’s long-term outlook.
While MLB’s transactions freeze won’t lift until tomorrow, it’s worth clarifying that said freeze only applies to the Major League roster. We’ve seen teams throughout the game cut a number of minor leaguers and non-roster invitees over the past month, and Wilson becomes the latest in that long line of names.
However, by granting Wilson his release now, the Tigers will give him a bit of extra time to gauge interest from other clubs in hopes of finding a new club with which he can spend a rebooted Spring Training. Teams are required to submit to the league a 60-name list of players who can participate in their restarted training camps by Sunday, although those lists aren’t concrete and are subject to change pending transactions.
The third paragraph has two “the”s.
So? As long as it makes sense who cares?
Perhaps he was dictating and stuttered.
Pointing out that mistake was the the right thing to do.
Why rework himself into a sidearmer. Thought myself reason he was awful in 2019 because he didn’t sign until ST almost over and “think” only played cpl weeks in AAA getting ready. It’s not like Wilson will ver throw the ball by anyone. He’s command and control type, thought he just didn’t get enough practice in.
Good luck anyway. Always a solid mid innings guy.
I remember a few years ago when a callup couldn’t get to the west-coast ballpark where the Tigers were playing. Everyday Alex took the ball and gave the team 3-4 solid innings. A good, not great, pitcher but with an excellent attitude.
Yep. I like him. Wish him good luck.
Phil Coke 2.0, without the flash of good but flukey closer time.
It’ll be interesting to see if teams like the Tigers use the 60 games as a type of Extended Spring Training for their propects, rather than sending them to the (probably extended) Arizona Fall League….assuming of course that there IS an AFL (and concurent Florida Fall League) . Or does their taxi squad become comprised of the AAAA-types. I magine each organization is generating some sort of a plan, as we speak.
To my knowledge, a decision about minor league service time hasn’t been reached….i.e. if a minor leaguer isn’t due to be protected until 2021,, would you want him on your taxi squad, thus possibly starting his MLB clock if you have to use him.
Some interesting decisions…..
So, the way that works has not really changed unless there are changes that have not yet been announced.
A player on the taxi squad but not on the 40 man roster does not accrue service time, and is not burning an option. He will accrue time toward being rule 5 eligible.
If he is called up, he needs to be optioned back down to be removed from the major league roster.
I would expect Mize, Skubal, Faedo, Manning and Torkelson to be on the 60 man squad, but not in the majors this season.
I can’t see the Tigers wasting a spot on Tork, as they are in no rush to start his clock when he has no minor league experience. He is also not even signed as yet. Cron is signed and will cover 1b for this season. I could see one or two of those pitchers making the squad but doubt all would be on it. This mini season is the perfect time to discover what the lesser rated prospects can do before the potential stars arrive next year.
Being on the 60 man taxi squad does not start a player’s service clock.
Players get major league service time (free agency clock) when they are on the major league roster, which will be 30, 28 and 26 players this season
Players use option years when they are on the 40 man roster but optioned off the major league roster
Players use time toward Rule 5 eligibility when they are in the minors, not yet on the 40 man roster. Whether they are on the taxi squad doesn’t change that.
Alex was a very decent reliever for the Tigers for a few seasons. Over a two year stretch, he was probably their best reliever, which isn’t saying much. He was pressed into duty that was more hi leverage than he should have been, just for lack of better options.
The Tigers got Alex in the trade with Boston that brought Jose Iglesias and Gabe Speier for little Miggy- Avisail Garcia.
4 seasons with over 60 innings pitched, a net 3.20 ERA for the Tigers. The team could use about seven of those right now. .
They actually got him, Speier, and Cespedes for Rick Porcello
I thought they traded Avi to CWS. But I no longer trust my memory.
Yeah he had pitched (albeit briefly) for the Sox before they traded him if my memory serves me right.
Oh yeah. Different Red Sox trade.
I hope the Orioles sign him
I’ll never forget the time he was hit in the face by a comebacker, completed the out and stayed in the game. He was such a bulldog for the Tigers. youtube.com/watch?v=RtolSxD9Ff8
Too bad it didn’t work out……