The Tigers have signed left-hander Sam Clay to a minor league deal, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. He had signed a minors deal with the Diamondbacks in the offseason but was released, per the tracker.
Clay, 30 in June, has a bit of major league experience on his ledger to this point in his career. A Twins draftee, he never got the call to the big leagues with them, reaching free agency after 2020. The Nationals then signed him to a major league deal and put him into 58 games in 2021. He didn’t rack up a ton of strikeouts, just 15.9% of batters faced, but he got ground balls at an excellent 60.1% rate. The lefty posted a 5.60 ERA that year but might have deserved better, given his .342 batting average on balls in play and 65.4% strand rate, which were both on the unfortunate side of average. His 4.61 FIP and 4.42 SIERA were each about a full run better than his ERA.
Clay spent most of 2022 in the minors and eventually went to the Phillies and Mets in July with a couple of waiver claims in a span of a week. The Mets would later outright him off the roster in August. Amid all of that bouncing around, he tossed just 5 1/3 innings in the majors with a 8.44 ERA. But in 43 Triple-A innings, he had a much more palatable 3.56 ERA, getting grounders on almost two thirds of balls in play and striking out 24.1% of opponents.
Clay returned to the open market this winter and signed a minor league deal with the Diamondbacks. He wasn’t terribly effective in four spring outings and was released but will now join the Tigers. Per the transactions tracker, he’s been assigned to the FCL Tigers and will presumably get back into game shape after a layoff of about a month, at which point he’ll likely head to Triple-A Toledo. The Tigers have three lefties in the big league bullpen in Tyler Holton, Tyler Alexander and Chasen Shreve but Alexander currently has a 5.28 ERA on the year and Shreve a 7.84. Clay will give them a non-roster option to potentially turn to in the not-too-distant future.
I’d love to see them “non-roster” Chasen Shreve. Holton has looked good and Alexander has been serviceable after a shaky start to the season.
At least they’re finally done with Miguel Cabrera’s sorry ass after this season.
On his worst day, Miggy is twice the player you could ever dream about being. Loser.
I don’t know about that. I’ll have you know that Ace’s ability to dream is way beyond your wildest imaginings, sir.
These are Miggy’s “worst days”.
So….if his worst day in the midst of these worst days are used in your Sorry-Ass Challenge to Ace, in lieu of say the worst day during Cabrera’s Triple Crown season, then Ace has at least a shot.
FanDuel could post odds and the wagering crowd could make sport of it. Let’s do this!
And keep in mind, Miggy has to be twice as good as Ace on his worst of the worst days!!
Ace! I’ll hold your beer!
Your “Johnny One Note” act is really tiresome. Try to get a new gig.
Clay is terrible. It’s amazing how lefties can still often find a job in MLB no matter how bad they are.
Yes, but if Clay can turn it around and become great, you think he changes his name to Ali?
Maybe Fetter sees something in him?
Or, maybe they’re only hoping to be competitive (losing, but doing so without getting dimed every game).
Your call.
Shreve’s last two outings are what blew up his ERA
True enough, he looked pretty good up until then.