Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Tigers Rumors

Tigers Discussing Minors Contract With Trevor Rosenthal

By | at

The Tigers are in talks with right-hander Trevor Rosenthal about a minor league deal, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports (Twitter links).  Rosenthal was released by the Nationals earlier this week, though now appears to be closing in on a new destination.

There’s no real risk to the move from Detroit’s perspective, as the Tigers would only owe Rosenthal a minimum MLB salary if he reaches the Major League roster, as the Nats are still on the hook for the rest of the approximately $3.7MM owed to the righty for the remainder of the season.  The Tigers are in need of help for their struggling bullpen anyway, and if the best-case scenario occurs and Rosenthal rediscovers his old form, he could potentially close games for the team if current ninth-inning man Shane Greene is dealt at the trade deadline.

After missing all of 2018 recovering from Tommy John surgery, Rosenthal inked a one-year, $7MM contract with Washington in the offseason.  Rather than making a triumphant return to the mound, however, Rosenthal instead struggled mightily, posting a whopping 22.74 ERA over only 6 1/3 innings.  Rosenthal’s stint with the Nats was shortened by a five-week injured list absence due to a viral infection, yet both before and after his IL stint, the veteran reliever’s control was non-existent — Rosenthal recorded an astounding 15 walks over his 6 1/3 frames.

While Rosenthal had his share of (much less horrific) control problems even in his heyday with the Cardinals, he isn’t far removed from being a dangerous bullpen weapon.  The hard-throwing right-hander had a 3.13 ERA, 12.0 K/9, and 2.6 K/BB rate over 227 IP from 2014-17, including a 45-save season in 2014 and a 48-save performance in 2015.

AL Central Notes: Kluber, Carrasco, Turnbull, Buxton, ChiSox, Abreu

By and | at

The Indians have been without Corey Kluber since May 3, when he suffered a forearm fracture upon being hit by a comeback line-drive, but Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer provides some reason for optimism regarding his return.  Kluber went through his throwing motion while wearing “stabilizing straps” this week and is slated to undergo MRIs to determine whether his fracture has healed.  If that proves to be the case, he’d be cleared to begin a throwing program.

There’s also some progress to report on Carlos Carrasco, who is out indefinitely due to an undisclosed blood condition.  Carrasco played catch this week, Hoynes notes, and the Tribe could learn within the next two to three weeks whether his condition can be managed.  If that’s the case, he could rejoin the Indians’ rotation even before Kluber.  That said, the Cleveland organization still isn’t fully sure when or if either righty will return to the 2019 club.

Here’s more from the division…

  • Tigers right-hander Spencer Turnbull left today’s start after just two innings due to shoulder fatigue, manager Ron Gardenhire told The Athletic’s Cody Stavenhagen (Twitter link) and other media.  An MRI didn’t reveal any structural damage and Turnbull didn’t feel any pain, but rather the club decided to make the move due to a drop in Turnbull’s fastball velocity.  It isn’t known yet if Turnbull will miss any time, though it would mark yet another pitching injury for Detroit’s rotation this season.  Turnbull’s emergence helped the club fill one hole in the starting five, as the rookie has a 3.31 ERA, 8.43 K/9 and 49% grounder rate over 89 2/3 innings.
  • Byron Buxton is “getting close to his return” from the injured list, MLB.com’s Do-Hyoung Park tweets.  Buxton was sidelined on June 18 (IL placement retroactive to June 15) with a wrist contusion after being hit by a pitch, and while the Twins outfielder has already exceeded the 10-day minimum IL stint, the injury isn’t considered to be serious.  Buxton was expected to face live pitching today in the Twins’ indoor batting cage, though rain kept him participating in on-field batting, Park notes.  Buxton’s all-around play has been a key factor in Minnesota’s rise to the top of the AL Central, as he has provided his usual excellent center field defense and baserunning while also hitting .266/.324/.527 with nine homers over 227 plate appearances.
  • The White Sox have been open about their desire to keep Jose Abreu beyond the 2019 season, and the first baseman also has no plans to leave the south side, he tells Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune.  “I’ll always be a White Sox….I’m a part of this organization. This is the organization that gave me a chance to play at this level and made all my dreams come true. I hope to stay here a very long time,” Abreu said.  While there’s nothing stopping the Sox from trading Abreu at the deadline and then re-signing him after the season, Abreu said he expects to remain with the club.  As Sullivan notes, this might leave Alex Colome as the only real trade chip for the White Sox at the deadline, as Chicago’s other veteran players apart from Colome, Abreu, and James McCann (who might also be retained) have largely struggled.

Tigers Set Lofty Asking Price On Matthew Boyd

By and | at

The Tigers are reportedly willing to listen to offers on breakout lefty Matthew Boyd, but Jason Beck of MLB.com reports that the team has unsurprisingly placed a sky-high asking price on the southpaw. Beck cites the four-player package sent by the Cubs to the White Sox in the Jose Quintana blockbuster in 2017 as a point of comparison in describing Detroit’s early ask. That package was headlined by Eloy Jimenez and top pitching prospect Dylan Cease. If the Tigers are to deal Boyd, it seems they’d need multiple high-end prospects to headline any deal.

Though Boyd has been plagued by the long ball a bit in recent starts, it’s understandable that they’re aiming high. Boyd is controlled all the way through the 2022 season as a Super Two player, and is earning just $2.8MM this season. His 26.0 K-BB% ranks fifth in the Majors, trailing only Gerrit Cole, Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander and Chris Sale. Boyd is tied for the sixth-best overall strikeout percentage in the Majors (30.8 percent) and the tenth-lowest walk rate (4.8 percent). He’s upped his slider usage substantially in recent seasons and has seen marked growth in his swinging-strike rate and his opponents’ chase rate on pitches out of the strike zone.

Strictly comparing Boyd to Quintana, the Chicago lefty was also in his age-28 season at the time of his trade, and had a much more distinguished big league track record. Prior to the 2017 season, Quintana had already logged 951 MLB innings with a 3.41 ERA, while Boyd had only a 5.07 ERA over 460 career frames prior to upping his performance this season. Quintana also brought over three years of control thanks to a prior contract extension, allowing the Cubs to keep him under contract through 2018 and then 2019-2020 on a pair of club options.

Plenty of scouts were on hand for Boyd’s 11-strikeout performance last night, per Beck, with the Cubs and Red Sox among the teams represented. Of course, it’s worth noting that teams constantly have scouts on hand to watch rival players, and Boyd isn’t the only Tiger who could be moved this summer. Nicholas Castellanos and Shane Greene are clear trade candidates for the rebuilding Tigers. Beyond that, teams were surely interested in getting a look at Detroit’s opponent, the Rangers, particularly with Mike Minor on the mound.

Then again, the surprising Rangers may not ultimately act as sellers at all, which may additionally work in the Tigers’ favor as they market Boyd. Texas looks unlikely to deal Minor or righty Lance Lynn right now, taking a pair of potential trade candidates off the market for teams interested in pursuing starting pitchers. The Indians, too, have played better in recent weeks, which may quiet some of the rumblings about the possibility of them moving Trevor Bauer. Broadly speaking, there won’t be too many appealing arms on the market — particularly not ones who are controlled or signed beyond the current season. Even Toronto’s Marcus Stroman, frequently billed as a “controllable” starter, is only under club control through 2020.

Carlos Torres Elects Free Agency

By | at

The Tigers announced that right-hander Carlos Torres has elected free agency in lieu of an outright assignment to Triple-A Toledo. The club designated designated Torres on Saturday.

The 36-year-old Torres lasted less than a month with the Tigers, who signed him to a minor league deal May 26 and then added him to their major league roster June 9. Torres threw six innings with Detroit, giving up five earned runs on nine hits (two home runs) with one walk against eight strikeouts. It was the first big league action since Torres tossed 9 2/3 frames with the Nationals a season ago.

While Torres will now try to catch on with somebody else, it’s a safe bet he’ll have to settle for another minor league pact. Also a former White Sox, Rockie, Met and Brewer, Torres racked up extensive MLB experience as recently as 2017, though he has been almost a full-time minors arm since then. Overall, Torres has pitched to a 4.09 ERA/4.23 FIP with 7.94 K/9, 3.41 BB/9 and a 44.3 percent groundball rate in 506 2/3 innings in the majors.

Tigers Select Jose Cisnero, Designate Carlos Torres

By | at

Per a team release, the Tigers have selected the contract of righty Jose Cisnero from Triple-A Toledo and designated right-hander Carlos Torres for assignment.

Cisnero, 30, has 33 games of big-league experience with the 2013-14 Astros, for whom he worked to a 4.94 ERA with estimators to match. Cisnero spent much of the 2016-18 seasons in the Mexican and Independent leagues, where he ostensibly found a strikeout touch that had eluded him in seasons past. The hefty 6’3 righty’s set down nearly 11 per nine in the International League this season, though his longstanding command issues continue to linger.

Torres, 36 and an 11-year MLB vet, made just six appearances for the Tigers this season. He struck out eight while walking just one, but allowed hard contact over 42% of the time and struggled to keep the ball in the yard. In over 500 IP with six MLB organizations, Torres boasts a respectable 4.09 ERA with a very solid 44.1% grounder rate.

Quick Hits: C. Martinez, Rangers, Straily, Mercer

By | at

Cardinals right-hander Carlos Martinez has been a highly capable starter for most of tenure with the club, which dates back to 2013. But the Cardinals moved the then-injured Martinez to their bullpen in late April, and that’s where he’s going to stay for the time being, per manager Mike Shildt (via Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch). Shildt suggested the Cardinals don’t have time to build up Martinez, who opened the season on the injured list with shoulder problems. “To put him back in that cycle again doesn’t make a lot of sense when he’s in a spot where he’s had success and he’s recovering,” Shildt said of Martinez, who has totaled 12 appearances and 13 1/3 innings with a 3.38 ERA/3.47 FIP, 8.1 K/9, 2.7 BB/9 and a 58.3 percent groundball rate since he made his season debut May 18. Even though Martinez has posted good numbers as a reliever, the Cardinals’ rotation has missed the 27-year-old. Their starting staff has been mediocre or worse this season.

Here’s more from around the majors…

  • The Rangers were planning on giving left-hander Joe Palumbo a chance to audition for a role in their thin rotation, but that may not be the case anymore, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News writes. The 22-year-old Palumbo has started twice, including in Wednesday’s 10-4 drubbing at the hands of the Indians. The Tribe lit up Palumbo for seven earned runs on six hits (two home runs) in two innings. Reliever Jesse Chavez came in after Palumbo and tossed five innings of one-run ball. Although Chavez, 35, hasn’t started extensively since 2017, the Rangers are so hard up for stability in the back of their rotation that they’ll “consider” shifting him there, manager Chris Woodward said.
  • Orioles righty Dan Straily’s place on the team’s roster may be in jeopardy, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com suggests. The low-risk flier the club took on Straily on April 5, a little over a week after the Marlins released him, hasn’t worked out to this point. Straily, 30, was coming off a multiyear run as a useful starter when he joined Baltimore, yet he has worked to a hideous 9.82 ERA/9.30 FIP in 47 2/3 innings since then. While Straily began 2019 as a starter, his struggles convinced the O’s to demote him to their bullpen nearly a month ago. Straily has fared even worse in that role.
  • Injured Tigers shortstop Jordy Mercer is nearing a rehab assignment and could return to the majors by the first week of July, according to manager Ron Gardenhire (via Chris McCosky of the Detroit News). Mercer, out since April 14 with a right quad strain, already began a rehab stint once. However, he suffered a setback three weeks ago and hasn’t returned to game action yet. When the rebuilding Tigers signed the soon-to-be 33-year-old Mercer to a $5.25MM guarantee in the offseason, they were likely hoping he’d perform well enough to emerge as a summer trade chip. Instead, the former Pirate got off to a brutal start – .206/.275/.317 (55 wRC+) in 69 plate appearances – and hasn’t played since.

Pitcher Notes: Zimmermann, Yanks, Cahill, Mariners, White Sox

By | at

The Tigers announced that they’ve reinstated right-hander Jordan Zimmerman from the 10-day injured list. Zimmermann, who hasn’t taken a major league mound since April 25 because of a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow, will start Wednesday. Zimmermann’s nearly two-month absence added injury to insult in what has been a terrible Tigers tenure for the 33-year-old. A run as a front-line starter for the Nationals convinced the Tigers to give Zimmermann a five-year, $110MM contract entering 2016, but he has come up way short of expectations since then. Now 33, Zimmermann owns a 5.29 ERA/4.92 FIP with 6.34 K/9, 2.26 BB/9 and a 36.7 percent groundball rate in 427 innings as a Tiger.

  • Yankees southpaw Jordan Montgomery seemingly isn’t recovering as hoped from June 2018 Tommy John surgery, as Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News reports. Montgomery exited a live batting practice session Tuesday after throwing 15 pitches. Manager Aaron Boone said afterward Montgomery “had a little discomfort.” The Yankees hope Montgomery will be able to help their pitching staff later in the season, Ackert notes, but that seems even less likely now. The 26-year-old functioned as a full-time starter from 2017-18, a 182 2/3-inning span in which he recorded a solid 3.84 ERA/4.09 FIP with 8.23 K/9, 3.10 BB/9 and a 41.4 percent grounder rate.
  • Angels righty Trevor Cahill will make a rehab start Friday with Triple-A Salt Lake, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register was among those to report. Cahill has been on the IL since June 8 with soreness in his pitching elbow. The offseason signing got off to a horrible start before then, as shown by a 7.18 ERA/6.37 FIP in 57 2/3 innings.
  • The shoulder MRI that Mariners righty Felix Hernandez underwent Tuesday didn’t show any new issues, per Greg Johns of MLB.com (Twitter links). As a result, Hernandez – out since May 11 – will resume his rehab, likely throwing a few bullpen sessions before taking the ball again in the minors. Meanwhile, teammate and fellow righty Sam Tuivailala will begin a rehab stint at the Single-A level Friday. Tuivailala, a July 2018 Mariners trade acquisition, has been out since last August with a right Achilles injury.
  • The White Sox have placed southpaw Manny Banuelos on the 10-day IL with shoulder inflammation and recalled righty Carson Fulmer, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times tweets. This is the second time in 2019 that shoulder issues have sent Banuelos to the shelf. Injuries have been a common theme throughout the pro career of Banuelos, once a well-regarded prospect with the Yankees. The 28-year-old has pitched to an ugly 6.90 ERA/6.78 FIP with 8.28 K/9, 5.91 BB/9 and a 33.3 percent grounder rate in 45 2/3 innings (13 appearances, eight starts) with the White Sox this season.

Health Notes: Zimmermann, Nimmo, Marlins, Smith, Wood, Dozier

By | at

Tigers right-hander Jordan Zimmermann, currently on the mend after suffering a UCL sprain, looks to be nearing his return, writes Chris McCosky of the Detroit News. On Thursday, Zimmermann threw 4 2/3 innings in a rehab start for Triple-A Toledo, coming away pleased with the 69 pitches he threw and declaring his readiness to rejoin the Major League rotation for his next start. Whether that will actually come to fruition is up to the Tigers’ brass, though manager Ron Gardenhire seemed hesitant to welcome back a pitcher whose limited workload could lead to more bullpen days, which the team is trying to avoid. Regardless, the 33-year-old’s return looks to be just around the corner, certainly a promising development for a team that has had to patch together a starting staff after withstanding injuries to four-fifths of its Opening Day rotation.

Here are the latest updates on other injuries from around baseball…

  • Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo is going to consult more specialists about the bulging disc in his neck, tweets Tim Healey of Newsday. Nimmo has been sidelined with that same injury since May 20, and the latest is a troubling development for an organization that has been maligned for its handling of players’ injuries. At this time, there is still no timeline for when Nimmo might be cleared to return.
  • Marlins left-hander Caleb Smith has been cleared to begin a throwing program, tweets Joe Frisaro of MLB.com. Smith landed on the 10-day IL on June 7 thanks to inflammation in his left hip, but it doesn’t appear that the injury will keep him out much longer, as Smith is on track to return in late June. The 27-year-old southpaw has quietly emerged as a promising starter for the Marlins, having struck out 82 batters in 62 innings of work. Over the last two seasons in Miami, Smith has posted an impressive 3.83 ERA in 143 1/3 innings.
  • Hunter Dozier will spend the next three days rehabbing with the Royals’ Double-A affiliate, according to Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com, who adds that Dozier will later join Triple-A Omaha after the birth of his child. The next step following that is to work his way back to the MLB club, which is good news for the Royals, who originally tabbed Dozier to return in late June. It looks like that timeline is still a realistic target for the third baseman, who has emerged as one of Kansas City’s few untouchable pieces and an All-Star candidate in the American League.
  • Another promising update for the Reds, with left-hander Alex Wood nearing a rehab assignment, per C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic, who tweets that the southpaw has a live BP session on Tuesday, which could lead to a minor-league rehab stint if all goes well. Wood, 28, has been dealing with lower back soreness that has put his Reds debut on hold. However, it looks as if that time could come around the All-Star break for the former Dodger.

Health Notes: Mize, Buxton, Astros, D-backs, M’s

By | at

On Friday, one day after Casey Mize left his Double-A start early, the Tigers placed the prized right-hander on the minor league injured list with inflammation in his pitching shoulder. Any shoulder injury for a pitcher obviously isn’t an ideal outcome, but it seems Mize and the Tigers dodged a bullet in this instance. Mize, the No. 1 pick in the 2018 draft and one of the majors’ elite prospects, had been utterly dominant in the minors this season before going on the IL. Between the High-A and Double-A levels, the 22-year-old has logged 78 innings of 0.92 ERA pitching with 8.7 K/9 and 1.4 BB/9.

Now for some major league health updates…

  • Center fielder Byron Buxton exited the Twins’ game Friday after taking a pitch off the right wrist from Royals starter Brad Keller. Luckily for Buxton and the Twins, though, he avoided a serious injury, La Velle E. Neal III of the Star Tribune reports. “Byron’s doing fine. Wrist contusion,” said manager Rocco Baldelli, who added it’s “pretty positive news.” The 25-year-old Buxton looks to be on track for a career season, having hit .266/.324/.527 (120 wRC+) with nine home runs, 10 steals and 2.2 fWAR in 227 plate appearances.
  • Speaking of center fielders in fine form, the Astros’ Jake Marisnick departed their game Friday with left knee discomfort, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports. It’s unclear whether the issue will force the Astros to send yet another player to the IL. Marisnick, 28, has paired above-average offense with his usual excellent defense en route to 1.3 fWAR in 156 trips to the plate this year.
  • An MRI on Diamondbacks righty Jon Duplantier’s shoulder confirmed he’s dealing with inflammation, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com tweets. Like Mize, it seems Duplantier has avoided a catastrophic injury. The D-backs placed the 24-year-old on the IL on Wednesday, cutting off an encouraging start to his career. Duplantier has pitched to a 4.32 ERA/3.83 FIP with 8.64 K/9 and 3.24 BB/9 in 25 innings (eight appearances, three starts).
  • The Mariners reinstated shortstop J.P. Crawford from the IL on Friday and placed reliever Brandon Brennan on the IL with a strained right shoulder, per Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times. Crawford had been out since suffering a left ankle sprain May 28. The injury to Brennan continues what has been a shaky season for the 2018 Rule 5 pick from the Rockies. Brennan leads Mariners relievers in innings (34) and has posted 9.26 K/9 with a 55.4 percent groundball rate, but a high walk rate (5.29 BB/9) has helped produce a 5.56 ERA/4.39 FIP.

Nicholas Castellanos Not Expecting Extension Offer

By | at

With the July 31 deadline around the corner and the Tigers out of contention, soon-to-be free-agent right fielder Nicholas Castellanos ranks among their clearest trade chips. Castellanos’ Tigers tenure may end in a matter of weeks, which he seems to realize.

The 27-year-old Castellanos was candid Friday when speaking about his future with reporters (including Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic and Evan Woodbery of MLive.com). Asked if he expects the Tigers to make an effort to extend him this season, Castellanos stated: “I don’t have a college education. But I can pick up the pieces and put a puzzle together. I’m not saying that this is 100% what it’s going to be, but if I’m a gambling man, I don’t see (the Tigers) offering me an extension at this point in time.”

Castellanos, a career-long Tiger who joined the franchise as the 44th pick in the 2010 draft, has surpassed the fading Miguel Cabrera as the team’s biggest offensive threat in recent years. Dating back to his 2016 breakout, Castellanos has slashed .282/.333/.489 (118 wRC+) with 74 home runs in 2,068 plate appearances. But Castellanos hasn’t matched his above-average offense with appealing defense, which is surely a key reason why rebuilding Detroit isn’t interested in keeping him around for the long haul. Castellanos’ defensive limitations will also prove deleterious on the trade market, where the Tigers may not get much for him, and when he hits free agency in the offseason.

Castellanos was a third baseman at the outset of his major league career, but after posting minus-64 Defensive Runs Saved at the hot corner from 2014-17, the Tigers moved him to the outfield. That experiment hasn’t gone well either, as Castellanos has added another minus-30 DRS in fewer than 2,000 innings of action. In fairness to Castellanos, his 2019 defensive numbers – while still not in the plus category – far outweigh last year’s brutal output.

Eventually, Castellanos may be a candidate to shift to first base. He rejected a move there late in 2018 when the Tigers requested it, as Woodbery notes, but would have been willing to make the switch had they tried to extend him.

“I told them, if you offer me an extension and show me that I’m a piece of the future, I’ll play first,” he said. “I’ll even throw bullpens for you. But give me that security.”

It’s clear Castellanos isn’t going to receive the “security” he’s seeking from the Tigers. His run in Detroit figures to conclude this summer as a result.

Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top