The Tigers announced a series of roster moves today, selecting the contract of outfielder Justyn-Henry Malloy, which was reported on yesterday. To open a spot on the active roster, they optioned first baseman Spencer Torkelson, a move that was also previously reported. To open a 40-man spot for Malloy, infielder Buddy Kennedy was designated for assignment. The Tigers also released first baseman Keston Hiura, with Torkelson taking over as the regular first baseman for Triple-A Toledo. Evan Woodbery of MLive was among those to relay the Hiura news on X.
Kennedy, 25, was claimed off waivers from the Cardinals in February. He has spent most of this year on optional assignment, only stepping to the plate 13 times in the big leagues. In 163 plate appearances for the Mud Hens, he has drawn walks at a strong rate of 11.7% but produced a tepid line of .234/.331/.383. That translates to a wRC+ of 88, indicating he’s been 12% below league average.
The Tigers will now have a week to trade Kennedy or pass him through waivers. If the past year is any indication, he should have plenty of interest around the league. Kennedy spent most of his career with the Diamondbacks until he was designated for assignment in September of last year. He then bounced to the Athletics, Cardinals and Tigers via waiver claims in the next few months.
The interest is understandable when looking at Kennedy’s combination of plate discipline and positional versatility. He’s always drawn a fair amount of walks, taking a free pass 16.8% of the time with Arizona’s Triple-A club last year. He slashed .318/.444/.481 for Reno last year, a mark that led to a 133 wRC+ even in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. He’s also spent time at all four infield spots, though just two innings at shortstop, and has appeared in left field as well.
He is in his final option year but could be stashed in the minors for the next few months by any club willing to give him a 40-man roster spot. The offense hasn’t been quite as impressive this year but it’s been a fairly small sample and he’s just a few months removed from being a popular waiver claim target. If he were to clear waivers, he has a previous career outright, which will give him the right to elect free agency rather than accept another outright assignment.
Hiura, 27, signed a minor league deal with the Tigers in the offseason and has been playing regularly for the Mud Hens. He has hit six home runs but also been punched out in 28.1% of his plate appearances. His .232/.312/.401 line translates to an 83 wRC+. That has generally been the formula with Hiura throughout his career. He has 50 major league home runs in 1,057 plate appearances but also has a massive 36% strikeout rate in the big leagues.
With Torkelson now taking over the first base gig for Toledo, Hiura will return to the open market and see what opportunities are out there for him. He hasn’t been in especially good form this year but the power potential is always intriguing.
That’s a little bit surprising considering Buddy did well in his cup of coffee with the Tigers this year and how Easton Lucas has a 10.80 ERA in AAA after being claimed.
Agreed. I kind of liked Buddy Kennedy in that brief time, but I can see why he’s the odd man out with Ibanez and McKinstry taking up the infield utility spots. McKinstry can play SS, which allows him to keep his job when Baez is your everyday SS.
Easton Lucas is a Chops Licker.
I’m sure he’s a fine fellow from a nice college, but he flips a wee lollipop up there. Every on-deck hitter licks his chops in anticipation of that wee lollipop.
Feel free to watch him toss (not a salad).
The organization probably believes in Ryan Vilade a bit more. Vilade also did as ok as one could in 3 games, and is eating up AAA pitching making Buddy a bit expendable for the 40-man spot, compared to Lucas who I assume the org wants to see a bit more out of.
Buddy was OK. Also, a little surprised Hiura didn’t pan out.
I suspect both will find landing spots. I kinda hope Kennedy clears and the Tigers can keep him. I think he’s better than Zack Short was.
Brewers fans arent surprised Hiura didnt pan out, as disappointing as that might be. He’s had more than his fair share of shots, I wonder how many more he will get.
Huira has a career OPS of 771. That’s career not his best year not his worst his career.
More chances than Earl Weavers first wife@
Nice, a Mike Cuellar reference.
he’s another juiced ball merchant.
I think what I like the most about this is JHM finally getting his shot so my Twitter will finally shut up about it! Haha
Keston is who he is at this point. Maybe you get some home runs but youll get a crazy amount of Ks in between them.
Once WAS releases Joey Gallo he, Hiura, and Mike Ford can start their own beer league. Rowdy Tellez and Daniel Vogelbach can join them later once they’re inevitably DFAd.
Jay Buhner and Pete Inclivia want to play too!
Mike Ilitch had a place for guys like these 3, and I don’t mean the Rob Deer Tigers.
He owned the Detroit Caesars, a member of a pro slo-pitch softball league. Norm Cash and Jim Northrup played. They were not standouts.
The big brutes in that league looked exactly like 2 of these 3 beer leaguers. The time may never come to resurrect that league but if so I’m giving a tryout to each of these swingers.
I’m sanguine on the Tiger’s chances of making the playoffs, but at least they’re getting some prospects a shot. I have more reasons to watch.
JHM should be in the lineup tonight and Skubal is pitching. Should be worth my time.
Perez is holding his own in the bigs. He played a big role in yesterday’s comeback win over the Red Sox. Colt Keith is not burning it up, but he’s learning….and worth following.
At least we don’t have to watch Tork and Meadows flail away at center cut fastballs for now.
I think Perez should be in the ROY conversation. It’s a little early for that discussion, but I think he’s got a shot.
The bad thing about them choking this year is that they are wasting their window of contention. Mize is here. Skubal, Greene. Even KC. This is when they should be competing. Unfortunately, every game played is a game closer to losing them to free agency.
They are letting the young guys play. By doing that they see who will be a part of the next competitive team. Meadows and Tork didn’t play well and got sent down, which creates ops for Perez to shine and Malloy to finally get his shot. Keith has turned it around, Greene is a building block and others are on the way like Jung.
They told us at the start of the year that this is what they were doing. If they are patient maybe they get a system like TB or Houston where they can bring the next man up from the minors and fill in around the edges.
They aren’t out of it. I’m glad they are showing patience and not signing or trading for quick fix, poor fit players like Baez or Zimmerman.
Colt Keith is starting to come on strong. Last 15 games hitting .300 with an OPS of .833 and a K rate under 25%. He’s just 22 so it isn’t surprising he was overmatched until he started figuring it out.
Most underrated stadium in MLB.
You mean the stadium where everyone moved on from Miggy so fast? Good to see you have new material.
I’m out of here.
I wouldn’t mind The Cubs taking a crack at fixing Keston Hiura.
I remember when…..
Fans expected the front office guys to put a viable team on the field….like….every year. None of this about competitive windows or the core, building blocks or the next competitive team….
Front offices were expected to make moves to improve the team THIS YEAR….not some fantasy future….
You guys are BUMMING ME OUT.
The Ivy League has nothing on the Beer League here…..
Hire the Superfife
Build a winner
Build a dynasty!
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Major league tryouts in Detroit, and you have to keep weeding. You can probably start to say they are a .500 team now, but the Central is playing way above that now. I still believe the hitting problems this year are the result of the baseballs being dead.
I also consider it cheating. If it stays the same then alright, let the finacial chips fall where they do. It’s starting to feel like a dirty business. The hitting numbers are down and it’s a good way down from the averages. After 2019 hitters got some mighty big contracts then went bust. This year they will and are being punished. Baseball wont admit they did something to the baseballs, but we can see it. Cheating stinks.
W T F
Are you rambling about