The Tigers are signing left-hander Bryan Sammons to a minor league contract, reports Jon Morosi of The MLB Network. The 6’4″ southpaw will be in camp as a non-roster invitee.
Sammons returns to the organization with which he spent the 2023-24 seasons. A former Twins draftee, Sammons signed with the Tigers out of the independent ranks. Sammons earned a big league look in July ’24 and made six MLB appearances as a long reliever. He posted a 3.62 ERA through 27 1/3 innings.
That earned the Western Carolina product a guaranteed contract from the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan last winter. Sammons had a decent year in NPB, working to a 3.78 ERA across 85 2/3 frames. That came with middling strikeout (19.6%) and walk (10.7%) rates, and the 30-year-old heads back to the affiliated ranks with a familiar team.
Sammons will likely head to Triple-A Toledo, where he posted a 4.15 ERA through 102 innings two seasons ago. He fanned 23.1% of batters faced against a 10% walk rate. Sammons uses a five-pitch mix to compensate for fringe velocity, as he sits around 91 MPH with the fastball.
Another master stroke by Scott Harris. We are soooooooooooo screwed…
What are you talking about? Tigers have been to the playoffs last two seasons and are an excellent team. Bullpen needs depth and Sammons was perfectly adequate when he played for Detroit before and was solid in Japan, and that league is no joke.
They almost blew it last year, very lucky to have made it in. Then beat the team they let in. The year before, gone in round one. If the Tigers want to do anything more, they’ll have to do more in the offseason. Period. Our front office is pitiful.
Like Luke said, depth. The only teams that will be screwed this season are those who can’t withstand injuries. The AAA squad needs a roster too and at least part of that roster needs to be able to come up and support the big league team.
The Tigers have lots of time to add to the big league squad without breaking the bank (Bregman). If they went into the season right now they still have a playoff caliber roster.
Absolutely. Teams need 40-45 guys who can contribute, even a little, at the major league level. They need 3-5 starters who can do something…even just a spot start here and there in AAA. They need 6-8 relief pitchers who can step up. They need a couple of OF’ers, a catcher who can come up and at least back up the backup catcher. They need 3-4 guys who can PLAY INFIELD DEFENSE….and maybe get their bat on the ball. They need 1-2 thumpers who can at least make opposing pitcher s work a little and DH or play a little 1B or a corner OF.
Not every guy in the minors is a future all star. Every team needs that depth.
oh noooo my GM made an inconsequential minor league move that has nothing to do with the MLB roster. THE SEASON IS OVER WAHHH
Well, yeah! How about a CONSEQUENTIAL signing from the dumpster-diver? Or a CONSEQUENTIAL trade? I don’t believe Harris is capable of either. His solution for our lack of starting pitching last July was a has-been and a never-was! How about aimimg for FURTHER than the 2nd round of the playoffs?
That’s a totally fair point, the lack of Tigers moves has been really annoying. But complaining about minor league signings is such small brained activity.
Feel free to to educate us on which young players you cut/give away to sign those big deals with aging vets like Bergman. If that actually happened you’d complain when the young player finally figured it out on his new team while the vet simply declined.
Nobody disagrees with depth. All teams need depth. But having depth without filling rotation (#2/3 starter) and lineup (a clutch bat) holes just leaves AJ to work magic potions again all season. Instead of his wizardry as a necessary principle, I’d rather have it as a bonus to give us an edge.
Right! Which wins you MORE GAMES (Championships)? “Depth” or “proven, better-than-average, everyday” ballplayers?
Agree they need a proven bat and a #2 starter would be ideal.
Where does this magic bat play? You’ve already got one at 2B. Tork deserves to play full time after hitting 30 HRs. Cutting Javey to sign Javey 2.0 would be the height of stupidity. McGonical needs 3B available for when he’s ready later this year. Dingler, Greene, and Carp need to play full time. That leaves CF. Who is power CF that we can sign? Bellinger’s CF is a -1 OAA in the Yankees smaller CF. Do really want him in CF at Comerica National Park for the next 5-7 years? If the Yankees can’t/won’t sign him, you want the Tigers to? Complaining is easy, actual solutions are hard.
Between Meadows, Baez, Vierling and Perez they have lots of in house options for CF at bats. Baez did make the All Star team (a voter stretch) and Clark coukd well be up in the second half too. Honestly Bellinger’s addition on offense outweighs small negatives on defense. Buxton’s name has come up but that is doubtful. No thanks on Robert. Is Bader an upgrade? A Skubal trade might spring loose someone like Benge…hope not. Stand pat in CF is my thought.
Instead go get a RF. Bellinger could fit but not for what he is asking for. Lots more options out there. Carp goes to DH, Perez and Vierling as backup OF.
Keith is playing 3B and if McGonigle comes up later this year I’d more expect Baez to draw short straw and sit. Could they upgrade at SS and 3B? Yup but the options are dwindling and where does Keith play if they get a 3B? Paredes for 3B? Again I hope they stick with Keith.
Not a bad signing seems to have a high floor but low ceiling with his performance.
Spent too much time in SF.
Salmons.
Somebody took the, “L”.
Harris continues to get it done. What an animal…
Another dumpster dive. This team is only focused on money.Harris has done nothing to improve the lineup because they’re counting on rookies arriving who will be paid MLB minimum salary.
Part of the 2024 pitching chaos crew. I remember when he was called up for his MLB debut and pitched 7 innings in relief.
I remember that too. While I didn’t think he was invaluable, I was disappointed when he went to Korea. I’m glad he’s back and hope he can pick up where he left off.
This is a good depth signing. I am unhappy with the Tigers’ lack of adding star pitching as well, but Sammons may help regardless.
Gruß,
BSHH
I know there’s a lot of offseason left, but just not sure how this team is any better than the team that lost 3-2 in 15 innings to Seattle. The offense was clearly the problem, and nothing’s been done to address that. So far this seems to be the plan:
1. Hope to God Meadows learns how to hit.
2. Hope that McKinstry, Baez, and Mize are their first-half selves and pray they aren’t really their second-half selves.
3. Hope McGonigle can come up and play better than a FA signing on league minimum.
4. Hope Greene strikes out less, Keith remembers he’s playing baseball, and Vierling can play more than 15 games.
Lots of hope right now. Perhaps the biggest hope is that Hinch can just figure it out. All they’ve really done offensively is reduce the roster from 3 guys who can only hit lefties (Malloy and Ibanez) to one (Jones).
They need a proven bat. Personally I think a LF makes the most sense, shift Carp to DH, let Keith play 3B and some combo of Baez, Meadows, Vierling and Wenceel for CF and backup OF.
You moving Riley to RF in that scenario?
I’d like to see a good RH bat added, as well. OF makes the most sense to me – assuming they’re going to finally let Colt play 3B fulltime. I think that’s the best position for him and thought he was looking better there last season as it went along.
btw, I read McGonigle giving Colt props for being the most helpful Tiger showing him the ropes.
Its sad I don’t know left from right at my age!
Yeah. But who in RF who bats RH?
I looked about 10 days ago in a baseball mag and listed off a handful of guys who could potentially be available…Spencer Steer, Teoscar, Brenton Doyle, Jo Adell, Jake Meyers, Buxton. No one catches my eye from that group. Im sure i left out some young guys.
I really wonder what it would take to get Buxton. The only drawbacks are what Minn would want in return and his spotty health.
Otherwise, he would transform the offense – and defense. He could play RF and CF, so Meadows could stay in the mix w Vierling and Perez for CF/RF. Riley stays in LF and Carp is mostly DH.
He is by far the best name out of the bunch. Steer is steady but Cincy needs bats so doubtful. I’d rather McLain from Cincy. Doyle is interesting too as a bouncer acknowledging candidate.
A young OF for a young pitcher (Olsen, Hamm, Sears, Montero) might work, if the Tigers sign more starters. Or package some of their 2B glut. Trade a strength for a strength. I couldn’t think of anyone off the top of my head as an example except the Martian who is a switch hitter (and the Yanks don’t look like they need more pitching). I know there’s others.
I hope they print playoff tickets and World Series tickets soon, will help me decide which ticket package I want to buy. 😂😂😂😂😂 I’m so excited with all the new faces Harris has signed, I’ll be flying from DFW a lot this season, NOT! Gonna be a lot of cheap tickets available on TicketMaster
7/4/26
A big thank you, from The Toledo MudHens !