The Tigers will option outfielder JaCoby Jones to Triple-A and recall Victor Reyes to take his roster spot, per Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter).
Both Jones and Reyes have struggled so far this season in their limited opportunities. Jones, the opening day starter in center, owns an uninspiring triple slash line of .175/.208/.258 through 101 plate appearances. The 29-year-old is struggling in all facets at the plate right now. He’s only walking in 4.0 percent of his plate appearances while striking out a too-often 39.6 percent of the time. He’s also not hitting for power with just a .082 ISO. All in all, the total package amounts to a 27 wRC+.
Reyes hasn’t fared much better in his 65 plate appearances so far, hitting just .143/.169/.238 before his demotion. The 26-year-old Reyes has posted just a 3.1 percent walk rate and .095 ISO while striking out 27.7 percent of the time. At the very least, Reyes has done a better job of putting the ball in play, and a .182 BABIP suggests there’s potential for improvement if he can continue to do so. Reyes should be feeling better about his at-bat skills after a stellar 11-game sample in Triple-A that saw him hit .419/.490/.581 over 51 plate appearances. As much as Jones has struggles, the Tigers may also feel that Reyes deserves another look given his strong play for Toledo.
I don’t ever want to see Jones in a Tigers uniform again. Enough is enough. What a zero.
Time to try someone new for sure . His time has passed
Yup. It’s sad to say it cuz I had hopes for this guy but he’s had plenty of chances. Time for a change.
I just don’t get the hate for JaCoby. Very bad start to this year, but he is a solid defensive CF, whose main drawback has been getting not being able to get out of the way on inside pitches. When healthy he has produced respectable numbers. I do agree with giving him some time in AAA to get straightened out.
Across 350 MLB games and 1200 MLB at bats he has 30 HRs and a .213 avg. He has never put up respectable #s.
2019-.235/.310/.430
2020-.268/.333/.515
I consider those numbers respectable, and they showed improvement.
This year has definitely been a step back.
If JaCoby Jones gets 500 AB, the most you expect is 100 H because that’s his best. The problem I see is that he’s not going to develop into that good hitter, not for DET, and he’s taking time from others.
how hard is it to be a Tigers fan?
@letimmy
Its about the same as any team not LAD, NYY or Bos. After going to a surprise WS in 2006, the Tigers were projected to win the division for the next nine years. It was a fun ten years. Sure, they are currently on a rebuild, but not many teams not named above see that type of sustained success (Atlanta also had a nice run). It must suck to be in a city where not winning a WS is considered failure. Not much joy in that!
It’s so hard, we had to call in Ms Fowler. But she said, “What can I do that BifAl and Chris haven’t already done? You guys all already getting #’d.
It’s so hard the diamonds in the rough called out sick…..
Hard to believe Jones still has a minor-league option left. Seems like he has been a AAAA player for the Detroit organization for at least 5 years.
Too bad…Jones looked like he was going to be a contributor…however, he is now 29, no longer a prospect…
Jacoby Jones has talent and athletic prowess. Unfortunately, his problem is very common. It’s mental. He can’t seem to recognize when to be aggressive at the plate & wait for his pitches. I knew he was going to get demoted after I saw him swing at the first pitch for outs in consecutive at bats. He’s completely lost and was given so many opportunities. I knew Reyes was going to get called back up and he’s on his last set of chances too. Riley Greene is getting ready to make his debut late this season and will compete in Spring Training for a position. I would have liked to have seen Derek Hill get the same shot Jacoby Jones had these past few years.
I agree with the Derek Hill comment. He can defend and run. Who knows if he will hit because he was used as a defensive replacement almost exclusively last season.
DET likely has ruined more prospects’ careers than they ever succeeded in developing.
Yes. JJ has been terrible at the plate. He needs help and whether the current Tiger hitting coach has been any help I can’t say. However stop and think this out. No one patrole center field lkike JJ. Any Tiger fans know this. Pitchers, I’m sure, will not feel the same with JJ not playing CF. How many runs has he saved. OK. Give him a couple of weeks to work on his swing in Toledo. But now put Akil Badoo in cf permanently. Let me also add this. Whiy is AJ not using Daniel Norris more. He is one of our best pitchers but has never been given the chance to stretch out since his bout with Covid 19 last year. He is still young. He just turned 29. Tiger management Please trade him before the deadline so some team van give him a chance. He’s a free agent at the end of the year and if he is not traded don’t expect him to resign with the Tigers. He has been wasted siimply sirtting inn the bullpen. Real Tiger fans might want to look at our GM and coaches and see where the real problem is. Good luck JJ. I hope you find your swing because you and Norris would certainly benefitchange of scenery, not in the minors but with some other major league team.
As long as JJ has options he can stay with the Tigers. Like Reyes he might find a stroke if given a few weeks of starting in Toledo. He is not trade bait. Who wants one of Detroit’s worst hitters.
I suspect he will hang around for the season then be released. He’ll catch a minor league deal with the Buccos or D-backs (or someone like ’em) and invite to ST next year.
Then he’ll get parked in another organizations minor league AAA and held as insurance. Another denDekker!
NYY might like a cheap defensive CF with options simply because he fits their budget. Think Tauchman with options. Plus they have had success with players like Voit and Ursala who have performed better than their track records prior to their acquisition.
It’s so hard, we had to call in Ms Fowler. But she said, “What can I do that BifAl and Chris haven’t already done? You guys all already getting #’d.
Hill is starting to hit at Toledo and is a great CF… Jones is a great CF also but his hitting has never become enough…seems like a PR and late inning defensive replacement is all he could be
Jones needs a change of scenery for starters despite the fact his trade value has cratered. Mike Yastrzemski didn’t click until he was 30 and traded out of the BAL system. That being said, Jones’ plate approach is pretty alarming. He needs to make significant adjustments before he sees major league pitching again.
Reyes for Jones, Jiminez for Farmer, just more of the same.
Would you rather cycle through mid to upper 20s journeymen like the pirates
DFA Jones and take him off the 40 man roster. Jones is a AAAA player. It is a non playoffs/lost season. Try Reyes, Try Daz Cameron. Try Hill who is now hitting and plays great D. Find out your “keepers” and cut the rest. Make room for your young A and AA guys on the way.
I think dealing with the potential of AAAA outfielders is one of the toughest things for a major league GM to do. Arguably, Jones is a serviceable #5 OF on a team with a defensively challenged LF. But if they have Baddoo for the season, he should be getting that #5 set of reps.
AAA is littered with outfielders who get occasional cups of coffee. Especially if they are fast and can play a good defensive CF. In the past, Treni Hubbard was the poster child for this, he bounced around until his mid 30s.
Jones at 29 falls into that category going forward. His best shot at rebirth is to go to a playoff caliber organization on a minor league deal where he can play AAA CF every day and get 500 PA and be their break glass #7 OF and a September callup as a bench defensive replacement and pinch runner. Tampa would be a good example.
It’s so hard, we had to call in Ms Fowler. But she said, “What can I do that BifAl and Chris haven’t already done? You guys all already getting #’d.
The Mets have a slew of outfield injuries and are looking for a CF.
Maybe, a change of scenery would help Jones?!
Selling “low” on Jones is better than DFA ing him for nothing?!