The Tigers announced that right-hander Matt Wisler was released from his minor league contract with the club. Wisler signed in February but hadn’t received a call-up to the majors, and he has a 4.40 ERA over 47 innings with Triple-A Toledo.
Digging deeper into the numbers, Wisler had a 25.2% strikeout rate and 12.4% walk rate in Toledo, and the spike in walks stands out considering that Wisler had a very solid 7.6BB% over his 507 1/3 career innings in the big leagues. The Tigers simply never felt compelled to see what Wisler could contribute to their big league bullpen, and thus the 30-year-old will again hit the open market.
The Rays designated Wisler for assignment last September, and after he chose free agency rather than accept an outright assignment, he stayed unsigned until landing with Detroit in mid-February. With the trade deadline now passed and teams having fewer avenues to make additions, there’s bound to be some interest in a pitcher who has a 2.59 ERA over 118 MLB innings since the start of the 2021 season.
Wisler has bounced around from the Twins to the Giants to the Rays to the Tigers over the last four seasons, with clubs looking beyond the surface ERA to some red flags. For instance, Wisler also had a high walk rate over 25 innings with the Twins in 2020, and he benefited greatly from a .198 BABIP in 2022 that helped mask a lot of hard contact and a velocity on both his fastball and slider. His performance in Toledo might not have exactly calmed any doubts about his ability to again thrive at the MLB level, but it will be interesting to monitor what teams might make a play for his services.
Death, taxes and yet another losing season in Motown.
Yes, but only the first two are forever. The third one just feels like it.
The Tigers will make the playoffs next year or 2025. I would be willing to put money on it.
Only if we pick up some major free agents.
There’s literally no excuse not to this free agency, other than there just aren’t many great options. The only contract I believe will be Baez.
HARRIS has no interest in winning with this group. If he did, he wouldn’t have passed the deadline with E-Rod, Cisnero and Shreve still on the team.
Honestly feel like that would mean the opposite
@rellime, who do u propose they bring in?
C- Haase/Roger’s
1B- Tork
2B-
SS- Baez
3B-
OF- Carpenter
OF- Greene
OF- Baddoo
DH-
Lorenzen is gone and ERod likely will b gone but there departures will b partially offset by young arms getting healthy. So a veteran SP will likely b needed to help anchor staff. But pitching as a whole really has not been an issue.
So the big needs are a 2B, 3B, and a 4th OF/DH. The 2B market after options exercised looks to b dismal and 3B only real big names are Chapman and Candelario. Chapman likely is going to b a hot commodity and would not want to come to a rebuilding team anyways. Candelario I’d assume would not want to return after them letting him walk. As for OF the big name is Bellinger who like Chapman is not coming here.
So who specifically do you feel they should spend on to fill their needs at 2B, 3B, OF???
It’s easy to say just spend $, but look at what’s available and who is a realistic option and let us know where the $ should b spent. I just do not see signing spending a bunch of $ on free agents to expeditiously fix their needs even being an option with what is available.
Colt Keith will fill one need next year, be it 2B or 3B. Malloy and/or P.Meadows fills another. They need a 2B or 3B next year, a young backup catcher to share time with Rogers (internal like Dingler or an external trade) and a veteran starter if Erod leaves, like Lorenzen or Jack Flaherty. They have options beyond the free agent market…trade from their young pitchers (minors) for a veteran like India or Brujan or a minor leaguer like Busch, Sweeney, Foscue et al. Fill in the spaces with some finds. There are lots of options. The 3B options on the FA market are too old to fit the competitive window of te team.
You forgot Vierling too.
No Vierling? Other than Greene, the dude is literally one of our best hitters and I’d argue has the best approach at the plate every AB. Oh…and he can play all OF spots and a solid 3B from what we’ve seen this year
The Tigers need a huge change… Go after two Japanese players… CF Jung-Ho0 Lee and RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Both are 24 years old and top players in Japan. I would also sign LHP Blake Snell.
That would give you
Snell
Skubal
Yamamamoto
Manning
Mize
as a starting rotation. I highly doubt ERod stays.
I would try and trade Turnbull, Olson, Wentz and try and get a 2B. You might be able to get Edman.
2B Edman
CF Lee
RF Greene
1B Tork
DH Carpenter
SS Baez
C Rogers
3B Keith
LF Malloy
Bench Baddoo, McKinstry, Wenceel Perez, Caratini FA
Trade Vierling, Haase, Short for lottery tickets.
The question is would Snell sign with the Tigers when there are other options that gave a clearer path to the playoffs? Vierling has shown his worth this year. I’m not very familiar with the two Japanese players…have to do some reading. I can’t see them signing two free agent pitchers when that is their strength. Some interesting players you suggest though.
I didn’t say just spend money just to spend money, but yes they should spend some. I even said in my 1st post the options aren’t the greatest. But trades are always a possibility, international market should be looked at as well. Baddoo would not be on my team next year, whether as part of a bigger trade for something or sent back to aaa, Meadows would be up instead. Keith takes 1 need. I’m also ok admitting that 1 more year of some flier type guys might be in our cards to prove our young guys are good enough to win.
I was suggesting signing 2 pitchers because then they could deal from a position of strength. They have some very good pitchers and they have some more coming up.
Lee is very similar to Yashida of the Red Sox… Lee has less power, more speed and better defense. .400 OBP, more walks than K’s
https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=lee—009jun
Yamamoto is better than Senga of the Mets. 1.81 lifetime era. 9k’s per 9.
baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=yam…
I like Baddoo more than Vierling… but both are fine. Vierling is better defensively I think. Baddoo has so much upside. He might get more in a trade though.
Either way… Meadows is always waiting in the wings.
Keith I think is the 3B of the future. At least I hope so.
Malloy deserves a shot.
Wenceel Perez is due to get a shot as utility guy.
Avilas best trade brought us Candy and Paredes and then we screwed that one up as well. Both holes would be filled…
I would assume Keith gets a look at one of those spots
Also Vierling is in the mix in some capacity
lol…Vierling is a good baseball player. Not a star but a quality player….Short has improved offensively and is solid defensively, both aren’t bad options as bench players…
A very intelligent and knowledgeable assessment.
@Motor City, I like your thinking. The young players such as Keith, Meadows, and Malloy definitely deserve a shot.
I also like some of other ideas here such as going after the Japanese players. I’d love to see them get Edman as well. With how week 2B market is tho, I’d think the cost would b rather painful. But if they could swing it with minimal damage to their future, it would b great.
Point I was trying to get at with original comment I was replying to, was spending to fix team immediately does not seem realistic or possible. Everyone cries for teams to just spend, but they don’t look at big picture if it’s even possible relative to a teams needs.
Agree with all of that. Love Baddoo but he is so streaky and frustrating! He made the Tigers fun to watch again his first year.
It will be an interesting battle next year for the utility infielder spot. Lots of options.
Yes, I did not mention Vierling. He has been a consistent bat and a decent versatile defender other than when they make him play CF. I view him as more of an every day utility type like Zobrist was or Chris Taylor opposed to locked to any specific position. I do think he should b part of their future plans, but I also feel they should address the needs mentioned.
Vierling is good defensively just about everywhere he has played. CF being the exception, his #s are kind of poor there. That’s not a knock against him, expecting anyone to play plus defense at that # of positions is unrealistic.
With Greene they should be good therefor a while until Max Clark graduates to the big leagues
@Motor City, I’d like to see McKinstry get a utility IF spot. I feel he’s earned another shot. He’s rebounded a bit with his bat even in a lineup without much protection. As for Vierling I definitely view him as a great utility option, but not so much as a bench type. He should fill
that Zobrist/Taylor every day type roll.
We could possibly see Austin Meadows actually play as well. That’s a huge what if tho. Really sucks how that has played out. Padraes would really help this lineup had that trade never happened.
I second that
we’ll see about that
Another Braves legend.
he talked some mad crap about the Braves once gone…and I honestly didn’t disagree with him at the time
Seems like the tigers should have done anything to trade him, even for cash … like a few thousand seems fair lol
He couldn’t crack the Tigers roster, no offense to anyone involved, but who wants him?
Tigers pitching is not their problem. Maybe you should try to keep up to date.
@Stymeed nobody is criticizing their pitching as a whole here.
As for the original comment here, nobody was going to trade for Wisler. He cleared waivers last year and this year had a 4+ ERA in Toledo. Nobody would give up anything of value to aquire him.
That’s not really what I meant by this comment. Tigers have guys like Wingenter coming up and logging innings. If the Tigers view guys like him or Logue as better options than Wisler, it just shows how cooked he is. I am a Tigers fan btw and I follow them every day I wasn’t trying to make a cheap crack about them, rather remark on how done Wisler is.
12.4% walk rate dampens any interest pretty quick. Hopefully someone picks him up.
Scott Harris with his safety helmet on while he’s busy at his desk.
Just hope his Mother takes the news sitting down.
Well played!
hes done
Seems like a Royals pickup waiting to happen. They always seem to have interest in former Braves.
The way Lange has been pitching lately his walk rate is soaring too. Another three walks in 2/3 of an inning today. Skubal looked great again though. I think most of his runs came in two innings this year.
Lange is in a rough patch, that’s for sure. So much movement on his pitches, he can’t locate them. Might be good to give him some time off from games to let him work it out in the bullpen.
It’s really just a dumb handling of a player by Detroit. I mean they aren’t any good and at one point halfway through the season he had been quite excellent but for some reason never got a call-up and likely got a bit annoyed by the fact that seemingly he was never gonna get a chance and his performance went downhill. Just my opinion. If you don’t really know how well he was pitching earlier look at the monthly splits. Why did they even sign him if they never had any intention of calling him up no matter how he pitched?
Was he on the 40 man roster? If not, then no one will be the Wisler ! 🙂
Too bad he doesn’t get higher regard.
At least he can admire the painting of his Mother !!
If Urena keeps getting more chances I imagine Wisler will as well.
I wonder why Harris didn’t try and sell Manning or Skubal to the Dodgers? ERod to the Phils? ERod to the Orioles or Reds? Probably too complicated for the little feller. He’s back in his office shopping at the Deep Discount Waiver Wire.
Skubal has ace upside, so glad they didn’t trade him when his value is in question
Skubal does have Ace upside… I would love to see him as the Tiger’s ace for years, but not if they are going to be filling holes with DFA guys. McKinstry? Ibanez? Nevin? Vierling? Maton? Who has Harris brought in that was worth replacement value? Lorenzen is the only one.
Before the season, I was pushing for the Tigers to sign Josh Bell for 1B. Tigers needed offense and Tork needed time at AAA. If the Tigers had done that, Tork could have spent this season at Toledo. Bell has been decent this year, but look what the Guardians got in the deal for him…. a young SS prospect Kahlil Watson. Something the Tigers need desperately.
The Tigers have a bunch of money coming off the books… let’s see if they reinvest that money or if Illich decides he wants to go in another direction. The other direction will be to the bank to count his money.
Tork isn’t having a bad year. As good or better than Bell.
I’d argue Vierling was a pretty decent find. As for anyone else nothing has panned out yet but doesn’t mean it won’t. I also don’t mind Mckinstry being on the roster but he really should be more bench player than everyday starter.
Tork is having a bad year for a guy who was 1 – 1 in draft selection. He will be fine, but he needed another year in the minors. Just because Greene was ready, doesn’t mean Tork was ready. They rushed him.
Like I said, he will be fine, but they had options.
I suggested Bell in order to flip at the deadline and give Tork some reps in Toledo.
I like Vierling and McKinstry… but like you said, they are bench guys. They have value, but shouldn’t both be every day players.
The Tigers have so many bench players getting regular playing time… Haase, Vierling, Maton, McKinstry, Short, Baddoo… they need a couple top players to cut down on the use of these guys.
Tork was rushed by a desperate Avila…and Covid stole some time as well….the cake is baking…
I still don’t get all of the constant Tork bashing. Is he going to hit .280? Probably not, but the guy is leading the team in hits,2B, runs, HR and walks. Advanced stats shows he is hitting the ball hard
Lots of articles on the whole Erod deal and it sounds like the market was limited to Texas and the Dodgers due to all the moving parts in the contract, the high asking price and when Texas got Scherzer they were a non factor after that. No way they should sell Skubal. He’s had like 2 or 3 bad innings that accounts for all his runs this year and has looked even better than last year.
All the moving parts to the ERod deal.?. LOL. Verlander got dealt… Scherzer got dealt… heck, even Segura got dealt. Segura was a salary dump by including a prospect which I have been told never happens any more.
Illich brought Harris in for one reason… to sign DFA guys. Illich will not sign high end free agents. He will fill the roster with prospects and hope a veteran gets hot at the right time. The 2024 Tigers will be full of McKinstry’s, Ibanez’s and a pitching staff of Wisler’s and guys like Boyd… injured pitchers looking for a chance.
The pitching staff has been quite good. They don’t just have to throw money at free agents. There are trades to be had as well to help improve the team and promotions from Toledo.
We still have Turnbull somewhere in the minors, about ready to come back.
I think he pitched last night… Turnbull that is.
Wisler has the lowest era of any of the 12 Mudhens pitchers to throw at least 30 IP this year.