The Tigers informed corner infielder Renato Núñez he won’t make the Opening Day roster, Cody Stavenhagen of the Athletic was among those to note. Núñez has been in camp as a non-roster invitee. The 26-year-old has the ability to opt out of his minor-league contract if he’d like to explore other opportunities.
The Orioles non-tendered Núñez over the offseason, a move that surprised some onlookers because he hit a team-leading 43 home runs between 2019-20. When considering Núñez’s on-base and defensive shortcomings, though, it wasn’t particularly shocking. That he couldn’t find a major-league contract on the open market is further affirmation teams have increasingly devalued this type of player in recent seasons.
Still, Núñez would certainly attract interest if he exercises his opt-out clause. He is coming off a year with a strong .256/.324/.492 slash line. There should be no shortage of teams that would like to add him to the organization, even if only on another minor-league deal.
In other Tigers’ roster news, manager A.J. Hinch announced that Rule 5 pick Akil Baddoo will make the Opening Day roster. Selected out of the Twins’ organization, Baddoo has yet to play above High-A but is now in line to make his major league debut. He’ll need to stick on the active roster (or MLB injured list) all season if the Tigers want to retain his rights long-term.
Joe Jiménez, meanwhile, will not be on the active roster to start the year. The Tigers announced they’ve optioned the right-hander to the alternate training site. Jiménez is a formerly well-regarded relief prospect, but he hasn’t found consistent success at the major league level. Last season, he pitched to a 7.15 ERA/4.10 SIERA over 22.2 innings.
kinda surprising actually
With zero context as to why. Do you provide anything other than useless zilch and complaints?
Here: Candelario is the 3B. Miggy still DHs with his fat contract. Despite sucking, Niko gets a look at 1B.
Your rebuttal: Nunez should’ve made the team and played over Goodrum (or pick some other name).
There. Fixed.
How on earth does a comment like that offend you so much? My god man you need to get a life.
Who said anyone was offended, Khab? Rather presumptuous of you. And incorrect.
When someone wants to come for your baseball opinion, trash it, and not back it up, then expect a response on a nothing comment. Tit for tat. You should know from your wealth of MMA expertise.
So much anger…..
Really, he could have at least done the right thing by slamming Al Avila. Some of these people just have no clue…..
Maybe the A’s would make sense.
Ya but you gotta LOVE Akil Baddoo……best name in the game. He’s gonna be one Baddoo Bengal!!!!!
“Yabbada” for ROY!
Showing up late had to hurt him. I would be surprised if he got a MLB deal from another team. He went most of the winter and all he could get is a MiLB deal from the Tigers. The Tigers have a clear need for power and a 1B so not sure he would have as simple and straight forward path to the majors as he would with Detroit. So while he may opt out, I would think it would pay for him to stay with the Tigers.
I hope he stays with Detroit. Go to Toledo, mash the ball, and get a call back up in a month.
Or, stay in Toledo for life and break Mike Hessman’s HR records.
I wanted Cron back for 1B, but when Avila signed Nunez, I thought finally he made a smart move as they would still have 2 arb years of control. Now its announced he was given an opt out date. Cron ended up with CO for less money! And he’s a better defensive player, which is why they cut Nunez!!! The pitching is getting better, but where is the offense? Miggy is not what he was, but he’s likely still their best hitter. Cron would have at least been entertaining.
Same here, although possibly Cron was offered and declined.
Sign Mike Hessman!
I don’t like this move since Nunez could provide power the Tigers don’t have. Believe the better move would have been to send down Reyes and let Baddoo prove if he should stay or was just a 1-time spring training phenom. Time will tell, but willing to bet we see Nunez back sooner rather than later.
Tigers may have a made a mistake here. If Nunez is willing to go to the minors he may be up quickly, if not then they are even thinner at 1B than when the offseason started. Hinch or anyone else cannot possibly believe that Cabrera can realistically contribute anything at 1B anymore other than in an emergency. Shifting Candelario back and forth between 1B/3B will probably have a negative impact on his bat that seemed to be coming around last season. I’m guessing the hope is Paredes has a short stay in the minors and comes up and claims the 3B job and Candelario slides over to 1B permanently
Wow Baddoo is tearing it up in spring training. I know sometimes spring stats can be misleading but his numbers are really exceptional for someone who’s never played above High-A… he’s hitting .324/.452 w/ 4 HR and 3 SB
Yep. Surprised that somehow the Tigers stumbled on someone who can take a walk.
I know… someone should tell the writers at MLBTR about Baddoo.
I would have thought that he would be valuable at least as a backup. If nothing else, they could at least trade him to a contender at the deadline for a marginal prospect.
What team, that would consider Nunez an improvement at 1B, do you see as a contender?
None, but he could be productive in a bench/platoon role for a team looking for some depth.
Nunez will be the Indians starting 1B shortly.
I really do not like this move. I understand he’s not good defensively, and may not walk much, but neither does Goodrum or Jones. The tigers have been at the bottom of the league in runs and home runs and desperately need power.
In essence, the Tigers are choosing a guy who strikes out 44% of the time and has no approach in goodrum over Nunez who hit 30hr and 90rbi 2 years ago and was on pace for that last year.
I think Hinch is really overthinking this one.
Bottom line: a last place team who’s struggled to score is saying they don’t have room for a 30-90 guy and that’s ridiculous.
The smart move would be releasing Jones, a lifetime 220 hitter who’s defense has declined or sending goodrum down (44% strike out rate is atrocious or growing a pair and buying out miggy who is just in the way. This smells of politics.
have to disagree with your take on Jones. he may have a lifetime .220 but the last two years have been promising and every year his obp and slg look better. His defense is great one year, below average the next. Not a great player but not releasable for a team like my Tigers
Jacoby is 29, you don’t take a guy on potential at that – he has shown you what he is and never sustains any hot streak. When you have a young prospect in Badoo, you have to play him. Reyes is also a decent young player, so it makes little sense to carry Jones, especially at the expense of not having a 30hr guy on your team.
Jacoby is a great athlete, but not a smart player. There’s simply no reason to carry him when you have 4 other outfielders and 2 more guys who can play OF.
30 home run guys that hit .200 and dont walk are a dying breed.
Not totally true. He hit 250 with 30-90rbi
if he was one of those guys who hit home runs, but only drove in 60, it would be a different story. At the league minimum, for a team that struggles to score runs, the Tigers were lucky to have him.
Bad spring training numbers is why he didn’t make it. He should find a fit with another team or the tigers, pirates and could make money with a KBO or NPB team.
Not true. He was very late because of visa issues and being signed late. He played sporadically once he got here. It was obvious that Hinch didn’t want him. Hinch wants to pretend he’s the smartest guy in the room by shuffling around players. The bottom line is talent wins, and any decent manager would’ve won at least one World Series with the talent the astros had.
Anybody who did anything this spring, other than rookie pitchers, should have been on the trading block…..and I QUOTE ” I look at it as being disciplined this year and resisting the urge to really try to step up. The last thing we want to do is go out and spend some money….that we’re trying to get rid of next year or the year after that”.
Really, dude?