The Tigers announced that they have claimed infielder Nick Solak off waivers from Atlanta and optioned him to Triple-A Toledo. To make room on the 40-man roster, right-hander Spencer Turnbull was transferred to the 60-day injured list.
Solak, 28, continues his journey around the league, as he has bounced from team to team quite a bit in the past seven months. He spent the past few years with the Rangers but was traded to the Reds for cash in November of last year. He then went to the Mariners on another cash deal before successive waiver claims took him to the White Sox, Atlanta and now the Tigers.
The fact that Solak keeps losing his roster spot and finding another is a reflection of the fact that he has continued to success in the minors while struggling in the majors. He debuted in the big leagues in 2019 with a .293/.393/.491 showing but has hit a diminished .246/.317/.354 since then. His Triple-A slash is much closer to that 2019 output, coming in at .286/.368/.493.
Several teams have grabbed him in the hopes of unlocking that kind of showing at the big league level but it hasn’t quite happened since that encouraging debut in Texas. The Tigers will now be next in line for the experiment. Defensively, he came up as a second baseman but his glovework was generally considered poor and he was moved to a corner outfield role when the Rangers signed Marcus Semien. The Tigers could theoretically move him back to the keystone, though he has played exclusively in the outfield so far this season.
The Detroit outfield has taken quite a few hits this year, as each of Riley Greene, Kerry Carpenter, Austin Meadows and Matt Vierling are currently on the injured list. That leaves them with Akil Baddoo, Jake Marisnick and Zach McKinstry as their three regulars, with Tyler Nevin also factoring into the mix. Solak figures to give them a bit of depth for the time being, though he is in his final option year and will therefore be out of options next season.
As for Turnbull, he was placed on the injured list May 13 due to neck discomfort. He received an MRI on Monday, per Chris McCosky of Detroit News, and was cleared to start some activities but doesn’t seem close to a rehab assignment. He’ll now be ineligible to return until 60 days from his initial IL placement, which rules him out until early July.
And The Nick Solak Experience has another stop on his 2023 national tour.
Even Solak’s poor ML production is better than what the tigers currently have. Harris preaches the basics, including defense, yet continues to acquire players who can’t field. The one time they need a defense first player, to replace Greene, instead of calling up Parker Meadows, who MAY hit, he instead signs Marisnick, who everyone knows CAN’T hit. If Parker can’t find his footing in 3 years time, he will be a bust anyway. What do they think they are saving his options for?!
Solar is a career .256 hitter at MLB level. Meadows is still struggling to the tune of .236 in Toledo. Before you say he’s been hitting better lately. He was hitting .224 a week or 2 ago when u had your last Parker rant….
And what is Marisnick hitting?
On a positive note they ve played Malloy in OF last 6 games in Toledo. If he gets right back in his groove out there, I ll agree they should definitely call him up.
He’d lead the team in hitting if he can match his best year! Isn’t that a sad statement to make about our Tigers
Yeah that is a sad. But even if they were solid everywhere else, I like this pickup. 2B market was weak last off season and gonna b even worse this off season. IF Solak hits around his career .250 they should quickly extend him. Worst case if they upgrade I could see him having some trade value this offseason with teams that miss on the few ok 2Bs available.
This is of course assuming he can hit .250 or more and bolster some value. Could b tough with how little lineup protection they have.
More churn
Neck discomfort. 60 days on the injured list. Ok sounds legit.
DOTAR SOJAT …? No that’s John Carter of Mars, but he could be new right hand hitting 2 baseman. Looks he did well back in Texas, so what they hey. This ain’t Gilligan’s Island but they are a merry bunch of castaways. Well the mutiny of Turnbull is the big story, so we’ll see when more information comes out with the real story.
Tiger second basemen are batting .225/.297/.345 (.642) with 5 HR. What do they have to lose putting Solak out there and seeing if the bat comes around?
Get rid of Ibanez and Nevin and give Solak some time on the field. He’s only 28. He cannot suck as bad as Nevin! At least Maton and Rogers with their low BA have an OPS over .600 and are hitting Homer’s and taking walks. Ibanez, Schoop, Haase, Cabrera and Nevin have OPSs under .600. I always liked Schoop but he should go too. Throw some new faces in there like Solak or one of our minor leaguers like Meadows or Malloy.
Nevin was sent down to make room for Carpenter.
The Tigers have made a couple of other moves today: Carpenter was called back up to Detroit and Nevin was sent down to Toledo.
And Akil Baddoo left tonight’s game with an injury, let’s hope it isn’t serious.
Sure enough, Baddoo is on the 10 day IL with an injured quad.
Ugghh. Corbin Carrol is kicking ourcass tonight. Isaac Paredes hit his 11th HR tonight to go with 44 RBI, .271 BA and OPS over. 850. He’d look good ay 2B or 3B in Detroit right now! That hurts. Never understood why we didn’t give him more rope when he was brought up. Seemed Dawel Lugo and others with no promise got more playing time.
The Tigers might need solace more than Solak right now. The news about Turnbull is really bad, except for Spring Training and a few bad outings afterwards, he will be out for more than two years.
Gruß,
BSHH
I’m thinking that Turnbull will be non-tendered after this season.
That’s not unlikely at all, but I hope the Tigers won’t shy away from tendering Turnbull. His salary will not be too high and Turnbull had become a good starter before he needed TJS – plus, as the Tigers realize at the moment, you can never have enough pitching.
Gruß,
BSHH
What is going on with Austin Meadows? Is he getting treatment? Is there a likely return date…or are the Tigers going to just cut bait with him?
I’d say that Austin Meadows is another likely non-tendered candidate, regardless of whether he comes back during this season.
Amazingly, the Tigers are way better than they appear.
I think it would.be exciting to reward the guys who are playing well by getting them to teams that can augment thier careers……
A couple of those starters and relievers deserve to play meaningful games. ( and maybe McKin)
GET THEM TO WHERE THEY CAN SHINE.
DON’T RUIN THIER LIVES LIKE YOU DID MINE!
Yawn !
So Tiger fans give me your best guess when the Tigers will be a true playoff team?