2:51pm: The Tigers sent cash to the Rays in exchange for Witherspoon, tweets Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Detroit will still need to open a 40-man roster spot before tomorrow to accommodate the additions of Shreve and Wingenter.
2:06pm: The Tigers have acquired minor league outfielder Grant Witherspoon in a trade with the Rays, reports Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link). Tampa Bay’s end of the deal remains unclear as of yet, though it’s worth noting that the Tigers need to open a 40-man roster spot to accommodate the expected addition of relievers Chasen Shreve and Trey Wingenter. They already opened one spot by outrighting Rony Garcia to Triple-A Toledo not long ago. That doesn’t ensure that the Tigers are sending a player from the 40-man roster, though it’s certainly possible.
Witherspoon, 26, was the Rays’ fourth-round pick back in 2018. He split the 2022 season between Double-A and Triple-A, slashing a combined .266/.343/.467 with 17 home runs and 15 stolen bases. The bulk of that production came against right-handed pitching, as the lefty-swinging Witherspoon mustered a rather tepid .237/.313/.404 slash against fellow lefties. The Rays split Witherspoon’s time in the outfield rather evenly between all three spots last year, though he’s primarily been a center fielder to this point in his professional career.
He’s not on the 40-man roster but was in big league camp with Tampa Bay. He struggled to a .154/.291/.231 output there, but that came in a tiny sample of 31 trips to the plate. With the Rays, Witherspoon was behind Randy Arozarena, Manuel Margot, Jose Siri, Josh Lowe and Luke Raley on the depth chart, at the very least, as all are on the 40-man roster. Tampa Bay has also played infield prospects Vidal Brujan and Greg Jones in the outfield of late.
With the Tigers, there’ll be a less crowded path to playing time. Detroit is lacking in established big league outfielders, and while they’re hopeful of an Austin Meadows rebound and steps forward from players like Riley Greene, Kerry Carpenter and Matt Vierling, there’s more room for a productive upper-level minor leaguer like Witherspoon to force his way into the mix with the Tigers than with the Rays.
Guys, we made it!
Another lefty outfielder?
Maybe they sent back Zach Short.
Wishful thinking?
Looks like Short dodged another bullet, Brieske is going on the IL.
Why so down on Short? Good fielder, takes a walk, decent baserunner. No, he doesn’t have a ton of power. He also hasn’t had enough ABs in the majors to write him off. I’d take him over McKinstry.
Tigers trade Miggy to the Rays.
It’s a rumors site.
Lol
Rays found a new patsy not named Twins.
You’re probably forgetting Joe Ryan for a bad half year of Nelson Cruz.
How much cash do you think the Tigers gave up???
Maybe enough to get a little ceasers pizza lol
I don’t see Witherspoon getting much playing time with the Tigers. P. Meadows and Baddoo should get called up before him, and Malloy could very well end up in left field.
Baddoo needs to play everyday until the trading deadline
Baddoo needs to be released, that’s how they clear a space on the 40. He’s got nothing.
Baddoo will steal 30 bases this year when he plays and add some excitement to Tigers baseball like he did as a rookie. I still believe he’ll end up platooning with Vierling before long.
He won’t hit enough to make it
who will have a higher WAR as a recent TBR to the Tigers – A Meadows or G Witherspoon?
I doubt that Witherspoon will even match A. Meadows’ 2022 bWAR.
They are tied right now you know. But I keep you posted!!
Who will first hit a home run? Meadows or Witherspoon?
I suppose Witherspoon could hit a home run for Toledo before Meadows hits one for Detroit. My guess is that Witherspoon will never hit a home run for Detroit.
Why?.? Don’t we already have enough AAAA players on this roster? I’m beginning to think Harris is a joke, this is ridiculous
To be fair, Witherspoon isn’t on the roster. I see him as minor league depth.
Who do you mean? I think he cleared out a lot of AAAA players already from the previous regime.
Did Scott Harris unexpectedly end up this totally constrained by the padlock on Little I’s checkbook, or did Harris agree to shop only at the Baseball Flea Market / Swap Meet before moving his office to Detroit?
His list of pickups save for the underwhelming trade or two have been mind-numbingly cheap and awful without exception. He had somewhat of a decent track record, and it seemed he was a good get for Tiger fans.
Maybe Detroit will shock the Sports Universe and win 70 games, but it appears that the Harris boatland of Tiger Talent is perilously listing left and about to sink in what promises to be another brutal season at Comerica Park.
Harris has made a couple of one year free agent signings and a couple of promising trades. I expect the Tigers to get about 75 wins. They could do better or worse, depending on their luck. Admittedly, having Lorenzon and Brieski on the injured list to start the season isn’t a good sign.
Harris also picked up Wingenter and Shreeve for next to nothing, that looks like it could pay off as well.
I don’t agree with your take. Maton and Vierling have looked good. Like thonolans ghost I think Wingenter will be someone to watch. If Harris had just signed a bunch of overpriced veterans we still would not be making the playoffs. They need to build a team by drafting, developing, and adding to it with some smart free agent signings. This is a year to assess what is there.
I don’t agree with your take that you don’t agree with my take,
Three games in, I’m proven correct. Thus, the next 159 no longer count.
What a hoot, what a howl. Still waiting for Austin Meadows to hit his first home run in a Tigers uniform. Let us hope all former Tampa hitters they are picking up can hit their first home runs in this series at Tampa. We now know Parker is being held back because of his brother, lets hope they get a chance to play together in the fall before Austin leaves.
At least it was just for cash, but trading with Tampa has not worked out too well for them. I sure wish Parker was on the team now, he’s the most exciting hitter not on the team we have.
I don’t think you can go wrong giving up cash for a player. If he doesn’t work out, DFA him. Can’t be worse than the sinkholes they have in the Baez and Miggy contracts!
I still have hope for Baez, but I agree with the rest of your post.
I’d designate Zach McKinstry and Edwin Uceta. Might be weird since they just signed McKinstry, but I think the plan was always to outright him off the 40 man roster.
Zack Short would be a worthy DFA as well.
Short is safe for now. Brieske is going on the IL, that clears a spot on the 40 man roster.
Brieske is going on the 60-day IL? That’s what it would take to free up a spot on the 40 man roster.
Yes, I believe Brieske is going on the 60 day IL. Seems pretty obvious, they are being very vague with the nature and extent of his injury. And they still haven’t made a move to clear another roster spot.
No it doesn’t unless he goes on the 60 day, which he isn’t
I still don’t understand why McKinstry is on the 26 man roster.
You don’t understand because you’re not part of the front office and have zero experience running a baseball franchise. Harris and his people just took over last August and unfortunately, don’t have magic Harry Potter wands, but I will let Scott Harris know of your concern.
Who rattled your cage?
@ass
Obviously you don’t understand either, or you would have explained it, instead of living up to your handle. Here’s my guess, as it makes little sense to me, either. Harris used to work for SF, so he paid a lot of attention to LA. That’s how McKinstry ends up on Detroit thru a trade, rather than being picked up on waivers, when Chicago tried to pass him thru waivers. What are there, like 3 teams that would have had priority over them? Its Dodger Envy. Unless they platoon him with Schoop, not a lot of playing time waiting for him.
I find Uceta intriguing with that power arm. Soto replacement. McKinistry can go.
But power arms with lots of BBs are cheaper than table salt…for a reason. Everyone salivates over the arm, but the poor guy can’t hit the strike zone.
Uceta looked very Soto’ish this spring. Soto fit that same profile. Sean Guenther was another intriguing power arm (albeit with better stats than Uceta) who they grabbed early in the offseason who could factor in later if he’s healthy and shows something.
This could be a advance scouting move. Acquire someone from the team you are about to play so you can steal their signs 🙂
He don’t cost much. Witherspoon, you don’t fork over a lot.
Here we go!
Good news for Tigers fans about THIS deal with the Rays: No matter how Witherspoon performs, we’re not going to get shoved in our faces that the MONEY PAID goes out and hits 5 home runs in 3 games.
LOL. I can’t believe such a minor trade generated this many comments.
JRod WAS GREAT. Schoop allowed those 2 runs as far as I am concerned. Look at it closely. I like the guy but look at what happens
Cuts
Post Season here we come !!