The Tigers announced Wednesday that they’ve signed infielder/designated hitter Renato Nunez to a minor league contract with an invite to Major League Spring Training. They also confirmed their previously reported minors pact with infielder Greg Garcia. The Atheltic’s Cody Stavenhagen first reported talks between the Tigers and Nunez, who is represented by Octagon.
Nunez, 26, was designated for assignment by the Orioles back in late November and run through outright waivers. Baltimore would’ve owed him a raise in arbitration and clearly wasn’t keen on paying that out to a player with a rather one-dimensional skill set, and the league largely agreed based both on Nunez clearing waivers and on him settling for a non-guaranteed deal in mid-February.
It’s true that Nunez has been a generally above-average hitter over the past couple seasons, batting at a .247/.314/.469 batting line that translates to a 106 wRC+ and OPS+. Put more simply: he’s been about six percent better than a league-average hitter when adjusting for his league and his home park.
Nunez has some clear pop in his bat, with 43 home runs from 2019-20, but he rarely walks and also has a penchant for both strikeouts (25.4 percent) and infield flies (42). Since Opening Day 2019, 30.6 percent of Nunez’s plate appearances have resulted in a punchout or a pop-up. Add in a below-average 7.5 percent walk rate and questionable defense at both infield corners, and it becomes less surprising that clubs were wary about offering him a guaranteed pact.
All that said, it’s hard to fault Detroit for bringing in an above-average bat to compete for a roster spot this spring. With the Tigers, Nunez will vie for playing time at first base with Jeimer Candelario. He could also make the club as a bench bat, but with Miguel Cabrera still on the books all the way through the 2023 season at $30MM+ per year, there won’t be any DH at-bats available for Nunez anytime soon, barring another lengthy injury absence for Cabrera. And if Nunez does take a step forward, either in terms of his on-base skills or with the glove, Detroit could control him through the 2024 campaign via arbitration.
Budget Nick Castellanos
Budget Castellanos is true if you consider cafeteria mystery meat as budget prime rib..
Dollar Tree Castellanos
If you really consider Castellanos prime rib, then sure
OK so this guy in his las full season hit 31 home runs and drove in 90 runs and the Tigers send him to the minors. The last person on the Tigers to reach 90 RBI’s was Castellanos in 2017, the year Avilla took the wrecking ball to the team Castellanos then had 89 the next year but other than that the most RBI’s by a player is our $30 million a year player with a whopping 59. Don’t you think he should have been invited to training camp, just maybe he might open some eyes.
They signed him to a Minor League contract because it was cheaper and they didn’t have to put him on the 40 man roster right away, and lose another player to Waivers like they did with Anthony Castro, Schrieber, Alcantara and Stokes. They DID invite him to Spring Training. I think that he will play 1B for the Tigers in 2021 (and DH when Miggy plays 1B). Now when he makes the team they can put Faedo and Wentz on the 60 day before the season starts and not have to lose another player. It would have been stupid to sign him to a MLB contract when they could get him to sign a Minor league deal.
Perfect team for Nunez to take his game to the next level (if he’s capable), and the right team to take a chance on him.
I agree plus Detroit got him on a minor league contract..
He played for $562,000 last year and the year before..
Tiger fans, in Candelarios minimal work at third, how did he do?
I think this is a great pickup, Nunez is still young and can simply take over for Miggy once Miggy turns into Pujols. Hopefully they can find enough at bats to give Nunez.
He was ok at third. Not a positive glove but not a butcher either. I’d like to see him get another chance at 3rd with Nunez at 1st (or vice versa) and let Paredes spend the year at AAA. Or at least start out that way.
Torkleson has 3rd base locked up. and what about CJ Cron?
You can probably forget CJ, now….
What has Cron got to do with it? He’s a FA. Torkelson won’t break camp with the Tigers this year, he probably won’t be with them until 2022
Candelario played some years as full-time 3B and got mainly solid grades for his defense. Playing him at 1B (where he had indeed minimal work) is a bit of a waste of his abilities.
Gruß,
BSHH
He’s looked.solid at 3B and occasionally makes the highlight reel play. Right now he is their best option there.
Miggy already turned into Pujols
Pujols is still better than Miggy.
That does it for the Tigers this off season. 1B, Middle IF, Corner OF, Catcher and some sore arms. Done.
I know he’s not a superstar or anything but I’m surprised he had to settle for a minor league deal…
Players like Nunez are not highly valued in the current market, but that could also be a sign of market inefficiencies. He’s a potentially decent bat at a low cost.
Right handed 1B/DH types with no OBP skills have almost no monetary value to teams with the juiced ball. Like CJ Cron who hasn’t signed and I cant believe his market is very good either. I bet he is holding out for a MLB deal, which is sad.
I would have liked A’s to bring him back to DH after trading Davis – or at least giving him a shot.
I think he is a player who could become very good with 400-500 guaranteed ABs. Good move for Tigers.
Dodgers should have taken a chance on him in the case that turner doesn’t resign, I know he won’t replace turner but it’s a good right handed bat and third first base choice that they need
These new soft baseballs they’re going to use this year are not going to help this young, low OPS, HR hitting marginal players in Comerica.
Nunez is a great addition plus Miggy, a two time MVP, looks in shape and ready to anchor a very young but promising tiger’s team. Go Tigers!
The kind of move where (hopefully) Avila earns his keep. Like to see him win 1B and Jeimer goes back to 3B.
Good move. This guy is basically CJ Cron but younger and won’t cost $3-5MM.
Decent signing. Not the greatest fielder but has some pop in his bat and walks a decent amount (even if it is below average). Strikes out a ton though. Allows Candy to go back to 3B where he is head and shoulders our best defensive option. He has some potential though and is controllable for 4 more years should he stick
Bring back CJ Cron!!!
Hated to see the Orioles let Nunez walk. Yes his defense is not the best but he does have a lot of power. This is really a good pickup for the Tigers.
The only thing I like about this signing is he is 26, and can be controlled.
Brewers 3B,
I disagree.
Don’t forget when we picked up JD Martinez for nothing…
Don’t forget how Avilla gave JD Martinez away for nothing.. I was a Tiger fan until Chris Illich told Avilla to dismantle the team and not even go for solid players. When they could have traded Matthew Boyd and didn’t because he had a cap friendly contract showed me Avilla was only interested in building the team by losing. If you look at teams the winning teams sign good free agents and not free agents who are also rans. Avilla has no idea if who he has will ever do good in the majors. Take what we got for Martinez and then the Verlander trade. Perez who they had so highly ranked has slipped and MAY be a relief pitcher, Jake Rogers is a bust along with Daz Cameron who still struggles in the minors and Avilla tries different players out in center field. To me he is getting too many latin players on this team and I believe he is doing this because he is Cuban.. Alex Faedo who was once a top prospect has fallen to number 10 and has a minor league record of 11 wins 17 losses.. Jake Roger who was once rated as the 5th best catching prospect is now number 20 and he showed he cannot hit and fielded poorly his first year.
They signed him to a Minor League contract because it was cheaper and they didn’t have to put him on the 40 man roster right away, and lose another player to Waivers like they did with Anthony Castro, Schrieber, Alcantara and Stokes. They DID invite him to Spring Training. I think that he will play 1B for the Tigers in 2021 (and DH when Miggy plays 1B). Now when he makes the team they can put Faedo and Wentz on the 60 day before the season starts and not have to lose another player. It would have been stupid to sign him to a MLB contract when they could get him to sign a Minor league deal.
No word on what Nunez’s salary will be when he’s in MLB. He was eligible for arbitration, but cleared waivers, meaning no team would chance that process with him. MLBTR projected 2.1 to 3.9 million. He’s guaranteed major league minimum, obviously, but his contract could be for more than that amount. He should be the primary first baseman with the Tigers, with 3 years of control left. He could also be a perennial non tender candidate.