The Tigers have claimed right-hander Edwin Uceta off waivers from the Diamondbacks, per a team announcement. Uceta was designated for assignment by Arizona as a corresponding move for the D-backs’ signing of veteran Evan Longoria.
Uceta, who turned 25 just two days ago, has spent time in the Majors in each of the past two seasons, tossing 20 1/3 innings for the Dodgers in 2021 and 17 innings for the D-backs in 2022. He’s struggled to a combined 6.27 ERA in that time, fanning 23% of his opponents against a more troublesome 11.5% walk rate. He’s generally done a decent job limiting hard contact — 88.4 mph average exit velocity, 37.4% hard-hit rate — but Uceta has struggles considerably with runners on base, as evidenced by a dismal 50% left-on-base percentage (roughly 23% lower than league average).
Indeed, when Uceta has had the benefit of pitching with the bases empty, he’s yielded an awful .189/.268/.216 to his opponents. With men on base, those numbers skyrocket to .288/.383/.591. Those glaring splits come in near-identical samples — 82 batters faced with the bases empty, 83 with men on base.
Uceta has roughly average velocity on his fastball (93.4 mph average), though he spins it at a well above-average clip. He complements that offering with a changeup and more seldom-used slider — the latter of which generated above-average spin this past season as well. He has a minor league option year remaining, and while his bottom-line results in Triple-A haven’t been particularly impressive (4.81 ERA in 78 2/3 innings), he’s fanned more than 30% of his opponents at that level. Walks have again been an issue in the upper minors, which is obviously a concern for a pitcher who’s struggled with runners on base.
That said, Uceta’s knack for avoiding hard contact, quality spin profile and ability to miss bats are all surely sources of intrigue for the Tigers. Detroit has thinned out its bullpen this winter, trading Gregory Soto to the Phillies and Joe Jimenez to the Braves while watching Andrew Chafin and Wily Peralta depart as free agents (though both Chafin and Peralta remain unsigned). That should create ample opportunity for Uceta to earn a look at some point, perhaps as early as Opening Day if he impresses during Spring Training.
Wow!
gran oportunidad para Edwin en el bullpen de los Tigres!
A corresponding move will not be needed as the Tigers were at 39 after the recent DFA’s and the Soto trade. But would not get used to him. Tigers will cut him loose if a better arm comes available on the waiver wire.
Even if they DFA Uceta, there is a strong chance he might go unclaimed and they could then outright him off the 40 man roster.
Going to be a lot of L in Detroit this season, Wow.
Yawn…..
That post is be-yawn belief
Buhdump-dump-ting ! 🙂
Crap on rye
I wish him good luck. Being DFA is the kiss of baseball death. Once designated, it’s so easy for teams to dump the guy whenever. Unless the player plays out of his mind, which is rare because there’s usually a good reason they were designated to begin with, his career is forever in limbo and most often in shambles teetering on the brink of not being a career. That harsh reality has got to be a mental minefield for any player who gets designated, not only are they concerned about where their career is headed, the very real possibility they are not going to be playing baseball much longer has to be daunting.
JD Martinez was DFA’d by Houston when Detroit picked him up, I believe. Every so often there’s a diamond in the rough.
Tigers definitely doing their shopping at the Dollar Store this off-season
Another “who’s that guy” acquisition by the Tigers. With these underwhelming transactions, it seems like they’re just so Tigers’ hierarchy can get themselves in print?
2023 is what it is….cleaning house, getting younger, saying goodbye to Miggy & having his & Schoop’s 40 million coming off the books. The Spring Training position players are all coming in earning a job. Only CF & SS are locked in. 90 losses & a top 5 pick in 2024 draft. All eyes on trading deadline, next offseason & 2024 Spring Training!
2023 is what it is….cleaning house, getting younger, saying goodbye to Miggy & having his & Schoop’s 40 million coming off the books. The Spring Training position players are all coming in earning a job. Only CF & SS are locked in. 90 losses & a top 5 pick in 2024 draft. All eyes on trading deadline, next offseason & 2024 Spring Training! Go Tigers!
There is no excuse for this app being so poorly designed. You could spend a couple hundred bucks on freelancer.com to have someone fix it.
Peralta was let go before the end of the season. Please stop referring to him in all the tiger signings
They can refer to him all they want, but it would be nice if they remembered that the Tigers released him.
Surprised they don’t refer to drew Hutchinson as well.
In addition, has anybody noticed that Wily has not been signed by anybody either?
Uceta had a favorable report before the Rule V draft last year and is only 25. Potential Fetter special? If he becomes useful great, if not it costs the Tigers very little. Another Harris pickup that he’ll pass through waivers. Chafin would be nice though and another solid young bat in trade.
They have to be receiving calls on ERod after the way this off-season’s fa unfolded. He’s my guess for the next trade.
Problem is he can opt out after the season
Cross your fingers. He would bring back a good package of young players/prospects with the current state of the pitching market
One year of Rodriguez won’t bring back as much as you think. Maybe one fairly good prospect or a couple of lottery tickets? Still, I think they should (and will) trade him.
Eh, this guy is still fairly young, has pitched in The Show, and apparently has a pretty good slider. Most control issues are from trying to impress the radar gun. Better to have late break than velocity ie Maddox and Glavin, etc. Interesting he can’t seem to get anybody out from the stretch..that’s not good at his age. Maybe Fetter will move him from one side of the rubber to the other….that fixes guys sometimes.
Arteaga cost SF $1Mil.
La Stella, cut at $11Mil.
Does SF not care about $10Mil?
Does Scott Harris not have friends in SF?
Does Chris I think it is not necessary to invest that kind of money?
Wow….
What a way to run a business……
I used to say…,”Hey, I’ll buy a hotnready”……being a Tiger fan…..
Taco Bell is in the same plaza…..haven’t bought a pizza in 6 months……
Whisenhunt ,$2Mil?