The Tigers have designated right-hander Mason Englert for assignment, per Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. He’s the corresponding move for Detroit’s re-signing of Jack Flaherty on a two-year deal, which the team agreed to earlier in the week and formally announced this morning.
Englert, 25, came to the Tigers as a Rule 5 pick out of the Rangers’ system back in 2022. He stuck on the big league roster all season in 2023 in a seldom-used long relief role. He appeared in only 31 of Detroit’s games that season and was roughed up for a 5.46 ERA. His results didn’t improve in 21 2/3 big league innings last year. The righty yielded a 5.40 ERA with very similar strikeout, walk, ground-ball and home run rates.
Though Englert has been hit hard in his 77 2/3 big league frames, he was excellent in the minors last year. The Tigers moved him to more of a short relief role, and in 41 2/3 Triple-A innings, Englert turned in a very strong 3.08 ERA with a massive 35.3% strikeout rate, an 8.2% walk rate and a 49.5% ground-ball rate. At a time when power arms are particularly en vogue, Englert’s 92.7 mph average on his four-seamer isn’t going to garner massive fanfare, but the results in the minors stand out nevertheless.
Add in that Englert still has two minor league option years remaining, and it seems like there’s a good chance another club’s interest could be piqued on a minor trade — or at the very least on a waiver claim. Englert’s blend of strikeouts, command and grounders in Triple-A last year is a general recipe for success. That he’s the roster casualty for Flaherty’s return speaks to the level in which the Tigers’ overall 40-man roster has deepened. It’s true that he lacks big league success, but his recent Triple-A work is far more interesting than that of most players who find themselves on the wrong end of a DFA. Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris seems to agree; asked during today’s media availability about the decision to designate Englert, he replied:
“I would love to keep him. I don’t know that we’re going to be able to. … I think Mason has really grown up as a pitcher since we drafted him in the Rule 5. He’s able to move his (pitch) shapes all around the zone. He’s very confident on the mound, and he is comfortable in any situation, so if we can find a way to keep him, I would love to keep him. I just don’t know that we’re going to be able to, because I imagine there’ll be interest around the league on him.”
The Tigers will have five days to work out a trade of Englert. After that, he’ll need to be placed on waivers (a 48-hour process) in order for his DFA to be resolved within the allotted window of one week.
Should have DFA’d Kriedler. They don’t need a 3rd string SS in February.
They don’t have a ton of need for a relief pitcher who provides no relief either
He will be when we sign Bregman
That’s not happening. Detroit won’t have the best offer out there. I’d love him short term tho.
They already have the best offer, he is a Tiger.
Wrote about this on another thread, but Detroit doesn’t exactly have a crying need at third base right now. Vierling had a 3.0 bWAR season in 2024 that wasn’t far from Bregman’s 4.1 bWAR. And Jung could break out despite a poor debut in 2024. Of course, both those guys are younger and a LOT cheaper than Bregman.
Sure, if Bregman’s market collapses completely – and Boras seems to be doing a pretty good job of collapsing that market – picking him up on a two-year pillow contract might make sense for the Tigers. But five, six, seven years for $200 million? That does not compute, given the far cheaper in-house options that Detroit has at third.
I think Vierling brings more value as a utility man who can play outfield and corner infield as opposed to being restricted to mostly 3B. And Detroit could really use a right handed bat. I agree that it’s not a huge loss overall if they miss out on Bregman though
LOL. He will never be a Tiger. He hates Detroit or he would have already accepted their offer. I don’t know why anyone thinks he’s going there.
I agree, Casey.
I doubt they will beat Houston’s 6/156, and reports say that they just upped that offer, though not significantly. Toronto is said to have offered at least 6 years too.
His splits had him hitting righties better than lefties last season. We struggled against lefties so he doesn’t really help there as much as people think he will.
He must hate Houston as well.
LOL. By his reasoning, Bregman must hate all MLB teams.
Vierling in right field gives the Tigers 3 gold glove capable outfielders with Meadows in Center and Riley in Left, and it legitimately makes their OF defense Top 3 in baseball.
While Vierling can play 3B, and play it above average, doing so means more Kerry Carpenter in RF which is a MUCH bigger drop off in RF defensively from Vierling than McKinstry at 3B, and probably equal to if Jung was at 3b. That is why the Bregman stuff still has life–because he is a plus plus defender at 3b and it results in the team having its best-case scenario defensively.
Adding in Bregman, and using the probable starting 9, a defensive lineup of C rogers/dingler, 1B Keith, 2B Torres, SS Sweeney, 3B Bregman, RF Vierling, CF Meadows, LF Greene and DH Carpenter is the best combination the Tigers could make, on defense AND offense.
It ALSO means no Malloy in the OF. If Vierling is your 3B, that means Carpenter is your RF and Malloy your #4 COF (as Perez, if he makes team, would be your primary backup CF).
Vierling is good at 3B. But that’s not the best outcome for the team when it results in your outfield having Carpenter/Malloy starting 120-140 games in the field
Long will go on the 60-day IL when they sign Bregman.
That is the reason it has not been announced yet.
They would’ve just waited to announce Flaherty if that were the case.
No, because then they would have had to let Englert go when they signed Bregman. As it stands, I think they can pull Englert off wavers after 5 days if they can’t work a trade & put long on the 60-day anyway.
Don’t think anyone can be placed on 60 day until spring training starts
In 5-Days.
Kreidler is needed until they see how Baez is in spring training. They would need Kreidler if there is any chance they might buy out Baez. He would then be the platoon with Sweeney.
McKinistry can play SS too and he is on the team.
Kriedler isn’t exactly a favorite of mine, but MLB teams don’t designate SS’s that are near top of depth chart without an adequate replacement. Baez isn’t healthy, Sweeney still is young with unknowns, McKinstry’s value is being a utility guy. That’s it for SS depth…and that’s not enough for a 40 man roster.
And yeah I’m intrigued by Navigato like a lot of people. But the guy is 26, been in the organization for 7 or 8 years, and never been called up to MLB after being at AAA for two full seasons. There’s probably a reason for that, despite the “counting stats” of the back of his baseball card being intriguing.
Until they have someone else on the 40 man that they know could handle SS defensively for 25-30 games in an emergency there is little value in designation Kreidler.
I think Englert has a bit more upside than some of the relievers on the fringes of a few 40 man rosters. Wouldn’t be surprised at all to see him picked up.
Not a surprise. We’ll see if a trade is worked out or he is claimed. I expect one of those things to happen though.
They should have bailed on Maeda. He has no role on the team, he was absolutely terrible last year, the money is sunk… Englert is too good to give away like this.
Easy to say when its not your money.
Maeda could possibly be traded to someone if he has a decent spring and teams have injuries. He’s only under contract for 25 at 10 mil. Plus, he’s probably fixable, considering he gave up runs from long balls. He may have had a mechanical issue that had him tipping his pitches or something. And there’s talk of low payroll teams possibly being interested in bad short-term contracts to get their payroll up.
Should’ve been Englert for Kahnle and Kreidler for Flaherty.
Bergman does not appear to want to come to Detroit. Certainly enough time to make that decision. Let’s move on
Hey @Steve Adams, if the Tigers have five days to work out a trade for Englert, that takes us to Feb. 12 when pitchers and catchers report. Can they put an injured player (such as Sawyer Gipson-Long) on the 60-day list at that point, or when?
Yes. As soon as ST starts. Some teams are waiting to make signings official for that reason
Can a player being DFA’d be traded for a PTBNL? Then be sent back as the PTBNL? And, you know, for cash?
Yes infielder John McDonald was traded for himself. He was sent to Detroit as a PTBNL from Toronto and then purchased back from Detroit.
July 22, 2005: Sent to the Detroit Tigers by the Toronto Blue Jays as part of a conditional deal.
November 10, 2005: Purchased by the Toronto Blue Jays from the Detroit Tigers.
Tigers trade RHP Faedo for a minor league catcher no one heard of.
Lost C Liam Hicks to rule 5.
Lost SS Gage Workman to rule 5.
DFA Englert
Kreidler is still on the roster.
Why?
Lange is on the roster…
Why?
Fernando Tatis for
Jackson Jobe, Jace Jung, Casey Mize and Spencer Torkelson. Padres also take Javy Baez and Maeda to even out the payroll for 1 year.
There… I said it.
Sell it to Tatis that he will be SS in order to waive his no trade.