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Tigers To Promote Alex Faedo

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The Tigers announced yesterday they’re recalling pitching prospect Alex Faedo to make his MLB debut. He’ll get the start in the second game of today’s doubleheader against the Pirates.

Faedo, 26, was Detroit’s first-round pick in the 2017 draft after a standout career at the University of Florida. Regarded as a potential top five talent at one point, he slipped to 18th after a bit of a slow start to his draft year. Faedo was excellent late in that season, though, helping the Gators to a national title. Between his college resume, strong sinker-slider combination and strike-throwing ability, he looked like a potential quick-moving rotation piece.

Things haven’t played out that way, in large part due to injury. Faedo didn’t pitch during his post-draft summer as the Tigers managed his innings following the deep postseason run in college. The following year, he got out to a decent start at High-A but struggled after a midseason promotion to Double-A. Faedo repeated that level in 2019 and fared better, posting a 3.90 ERA with a 28.3% strikeout rate in 115 1/3 innings. He looked as if he might be a potential MLB option by 2020, but Faedo suffered a forearm strain and was shut down that August.

While the team had initially hoped to avoid surgery, he required a Tommy John procedure in December. Faedo was nevertheless added to the Detroit 40-man roster to keep him from being taken in the Rule 5 draft, but he spent the entire 2021 season on the injured list. Baseball America ranked him the #20 prospect in the organization this past offseason, noting that his recent injury history and below-average changeup may eventually push him towards a bullpen role. For now, he remains a starting pitching option, where he should at least pound the strike zone and miss some bats with his slider.

Faedo tossed five scoreless innings with eight strikeouts during his first start at Triple-A Toledo this year. That’s his only experience at the minors’ top level to date, and it’s possible he’ll head back out on optional assignment immediately after today’s outing. He figures to get an extended big league look at some point fairly soon, however, and Detroit’s recent spate of rotation injuries could force him to assume a significant role in the coming months.

The Tigers are without each of Casey Mize, Matt Manning and Tyler Alexander due to arm injuries. Eduardo Rodríguez, Tarik Skubal, Michael Pineda and rookie Beau Brieske are the top four currently-healthy arms. Detroit hasn’t expressed much concern about possible long-term absences for Mize or Manning, but both righties are in the early stages of throwing programs. The Tigers don’t have an off day until May 19, and they’re faced with doubleheaders both this afternoon and next Tuesday against Oakland.

Joey Wentz and Elvin Rodríguez are starting games in Toledo, as is non-roster veteran Chase Anderson. The Tigers also have former starters Drew Hutchison and Wily Peralta working as multi-inning bullpen options in the majors. Manager A.J. Hinch recently reiterated that he prefers Peralta in a relief role, so it doesn’t seem as if he’ll step into the rotation mix (link via Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free-Press).

Tigers Designate Dustin Garneau For Assignment

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The Tigers designated catcher Dustin Garneau for assignment, according to an announcement from the team.  Additionally, lefty Tyler Alexander hit the IL for an elbow sprain, bringing the team’s active roster down to 26 players.

The Tigers’ three-catcher plan has come to an end, with Tucker Barnhart and Eric Haase remaining to handle duties behind the plate.  Garneau, 34, has led a journeyman MLB career, accumulating 506 big league plate appearances across eight seasons for six different teams.   He’s never topped the 126 plate appearances he received in 2017 for the Rockies and A’s.  Garneau had joined the Tigers last August as part of a full-circle series of transactions.

Even at age 34, an experienced catcher like Garneau with a “have glove, will travel” mindset is usually able to find a spot in an MLB organization, with the position always in short supply.  And there’s always the possibility he clears waivers and remains with the Tigers.  Though not known for his defense, the 29-year-old Haase will be Barnhart’s sole backup behind the dish, even though Haase has spent more time at left field than catcher so far this year.

Prospect Ryan Kreidler Fractures Hand

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  • Tigers prospect Ryan Kreidler suffered a right hand fracture that will knock the Triple-A infielder out indefinitely, per Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. The 24-year-old had yet to make his Major League debut, though with a .246/.346/.462 line through 78 plate appearances in Triple-A, he was on his way.

Tigers Notes: Funkhouser, Mize, Manning

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  • Kyle Funkhouser has yet to pitch this season due to a right shoulder strain, and the Tigers moved him yesterday from the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL.  “We’re trying to resolve the symptoms before we can progress more aggressively,” Hinch said.  “The timeline made it virtually impossible for him to be back prior to the 60 days,” manager A.J. Hinch told reporters (including The Detroit News’ Chris McCosky).  Hinch also noted that Funkhouser is speaking with doctors about whether or not surgery could be required, so the reliever could be facing a much longer absence than just the minimum 60 days.
  • In other Tigers news, Hinch said that Casey Mize will be resuming his throwing program today at the team’s spring training facility in Lakeland.  Mize was placed on the 10-day IL on April 15 with a sprained MCL, though there were already early indications that the former first overall pick wouldn’t be out of action for too long, and that he has escaped a more serious injury.  Matt Manning is also headed to Lakeland but won’t yet begin throwing, as his right shoulder was still feeling some discomfort when Manning threw off flat ground yesterday.  Despite this update, Hinch said Manning didn’t have “a setback.  It’s nothing we are overly concerned about.  It’s just a slower ramp to playing catch before we get him back on the mound.”

Tigers Promote Beau Brieske

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TODAY: The Tigers officially selected Brieske’s contract in between games of today’s doubleheader with Colorado.  Right-hander Angel De Jesus was optioned to Triple-A, and righty Kyle Funkhouser was moved to the 60-day IL to create 40-man roster space.

APRIL 21: The Tigers announced this afternoon that right-hander Beau Brieske will start Saturday’s game against the Rockies. The 24-year-old will be making his major league debut. Brieske is not on the 40-man roster, so Detroit will need to make another move in that regard to formally accommodate the selection of his contract.

Brieske signed for just $75K as a 27th-round pick out of Division II Colorado State-Pueblo in 2019. The Arizona native overcame that lack of draft pedigree to reach the big leagues less than three years later, a testament to his strong work in the minors. Brieske pitched well in 11 relief appearances during his post-draft summer. He didn’t appear in 2020 because of the canceled minor league season, but he traversed a pair of levels last year.

Assigned to High-A Lakeland to open the season, Brieske pitched to a 3.45 ERA with a stellar 30.2% strikeout rate over 13 starts. That earned him an August bump to Double-A Erie, where he posted a 2.66 mark in eight outings. Brieske’s strikeout rate fell to an average 23.3%, but he walked 6% of opponents or fewer at both levels.

That strong performance was paired with a better arsenal that caught the attention of prospect evaluators. Naming him the #18 prospect in the organization this past winter, Baseball America wrote that Brieske had pushed his fastball into the 92-95 MPH range with good life at the top of the strike zone. BA praised his average or better slider and changeup and above-average command and suggested he’d blossomed into a legitimate starting pitching prospect. Eric Longenhagen and Kevin Goldstein at FanGraphs largely echoed that sentiment in their write-up of the Tigers’ farm in January, slotting him #10 in the system.

Brieske opened this season with Triple-A Toledo, where he’s allowed five runs in ten innings over his first two starts. Despite his lack of experience at the minors’ highest level, the Tigers will add him to an MLB rotation that has lost Casey Mize and Matt Manning to the injured list in recent days. Manning, in particular, is expected back in fairly short order, at which point Brieske might wind up optioned back to the minors. Whether his initial call is a lengthy one, Brieske’s addition to the 40-man solidifies him as a near-term depth option for the Detroit rotation.

Tigers Place Victor Reyes On Injured List

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The Tigers announced today that they have placed outfielder Victor Reyes on the injured list with a left quad strain. Fellow outfielder Derek Hill has been recalled to take his place on the roster.

Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic relays word from Reyes, who says he’s been battling the injury all season. Despite that, he was off to a fairly strong start to the year. Reyes has a strikeout rate of 16% so far this year, well below his career mark of 22.1%. Similarly, his walk rate is at 8% on the young campaign, more than double his 3.9% career rate. His 112 wRC+ is also quite healthy, compared to the 82 he’s put up in his career so far. Of course, this is a tiny sample of just ten games and it would be unwise to draw sweeping conclusions from it, though there are positive signs in his Statcast profile as well, with his .394 xBA easily outpacing his numbers from previous years. It’s surely discouraging for the 27-year-old to have to sit out the next little while after a promising start to the year. Evan Woodbery of MLive relays word from manager A.J. Hinch, who apparently had a challenging time giving Reyes the news. Based on the fact that Reyes wanted to keep playing, it shouldn’t be a lengthy absence.

In more positive news for the Tigers, a couple of their offseason acquisitions could be returning from injuries shortly. Hinch told reporters that shortstop Javier Baez and reliever Andrew Chafin should be back in the coming days. (Twitter links from Woodbery) Baez played in five games for the Tigers, hitting .316/.350/.526, before being placed on the IL with thumb soreness. Chafin was signed by the Tigers to a two-year, $13MM deal but has yet to appear for the team due to a groin strain. Whenever they return, they will bolster the lineup and the bullpen, respectively. In the absence of Baez, the Tigers have been relying on two Castros, Willi and Harold, to fill the shortstop position. Gregory Soto is the only lefty in the club’s bullpen right now, but he has been deployed in the closer role, leaving the club a bit short-handed in the southpaw department.

Tigers Notes: Mize, Manning, Pineda

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The Tigers were dealt a couple scares in the rotation last week, with righties Casey Mize and Matt Manning both landing on the injured list due to arm issues. Mize suffered an MCL sprain in his throwing elbow, an ominous-sounding injury that seemed as if it could result in a long  absence. There’s still not much clarity on his timetable for return, but the most recent news on the 24-year-old has been promising.

In an appearance on MLB Network Radio yesterday, manager A.J. Hinch said initial results indicated they’d “avoided any sort of catastrophic occurrence” (relayed by Jason Beck of MLB.com). Mize himself addressed the matter this afternoon, saying he “(feels) good” because he’s “not having surgery and … going to pitch again soon” (via Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free-Press).

That Mize appears to have avoided a serious injury is obviously fantastic news for the club. The former first overall pick is an integral part of the organization’s present and future. That’s also true of Manning, himself a former top ten draftee and highly-regarded prospect. The 6’6″ hurler left his start over the weekend with shoulder discomfort. Detroit placed him on the injured list due to inflammation this afternoon, but Hinch didn’t sound particularly concerned. The manager said Manning is hoping to resume throwing as soon as this weekend (Beck link), suggesting his stay on the IL could be brief.

Even if Manning returns in short order, the Tigers will be down a couple starters through an ongoing stretch of six consecutive games without an off-day. In response, Detroit announced tonight they’re recalling veteran Michael Pineda to make his season debut tomorrow afternoon against the Yankees. Signed to a $5.5MM guarantee in Spring Training, Pineda consented to be optioned to open the year after being delayed in reporting to camp by visa issues.

The hope had been for the big righty to start three games with Triple-A Toledo before being called up, but he’ll be pressed into action after two minor league appearances by the injuries to Mize and Manning. Now that he’s in the majors again, Pineda figures to take the ball every fifth day as a regular member of the rotation. Once Mize and Manning return, Tyler Alexander would likely be bumped into a long relief role — assuming the club avoids intervening injuries.

Tigers Place Matt Manning On Injured List, Recall Angel De Jesus

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The Tigers announced this afternoon that right-hander Matt Manning has been placed on the injured list, retroactive to April 17th, with right shoulder inflammation. Fellow right-hander Angel De Jesus was recalled in a corresponding move.

Manning had been pulled from his most recent start with discomfort in this throwing shoulder. A few days later, manager AJ Hinch provided an encouraging update, saying that the news from further testing was “as positive as it could be” and that there was no structural damage. Despite that good news, the club is going to let Manning sit for a few days and rest his arm.

The club had an off-day on the 18th and has another coming up on the 25th, meaning that it’s possible Manning will only miss one start. After two starts this year, he has a 2.25 ERA in eight innings. He only has four strikeouts in that time but hasn’t allowed a single walk yet. The 24-year-old is looking to build off of a rookie campaign last year where he threw 85 1/3 innings of 5.80 ERA ball.

As for De Jesus, he was selected to the 40-man roster in November to protect him from the Rule 5 draft, which was later canceled after the lockout. As soon as he gets into a game, he will be making his MLB debut. The 25-year-old has already thrown four innings in Triple-A this year, allowing three earned runs, with five strikeouts against no walks.

Tigers Outright Bryan Garcia

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Tigers right-hander Bryan Garcia went unclaimed on waivers and has been assigned to Triple-A Toledo, per a team announcement. He’ll remain with the organization but will no longer occupy a place on the 40-man roster.

Garcia will be sticking with the only organization he’s ever known, as the  27-year-old was drafted by Detroit back in 2016. He showed enough potential as he climbed up the minor league ranks to be deemed one of the club’s best prospects. Baseball America ranked Garcia between #16 and #22 in Detroit’s system for four straight years, from 2017 to 2020.

After getting a cup of coffee in 2019, he seemed to be delivering on his promise in 2020. During that shortened season, he threw 21 2/3 innings out of the Tigers’ bullpen with a 1.66 ERA. That was a largely unsustainable ERA, however, as evidenced by his 12.9% strikeout rate and 10.8% walk rate. In 2021, the wheel of fortune spun him around the other way, as his strikeout rate ticked up to 16.7%, but his walk rate climbed to 13% and his ERA jumped to 7.55.

Garcia will now try to work his way back into the team’s plans with a good showing in Triple-A. He’s off to a good start, having thrown 3 2/3 scoreless innings so far this year, but with a troublesome 20% walk rate in that small sample. If he can get his roster spot back, he still has two option years and a service time count of 1.148, meaning he’d still need over a year of time in the big leagues to earn a raise through arbitration.

Hinch: No Structural Damage In Matt Manning’s Shoulder

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April 19: Manager AJ Hinch said in an appearance on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM this morning that Manning’s initial diagnosis is “as positive as it could be” (Twitter link via Jason Beck of MLB.com). Imaging revealed that Manning is dealing with inflammation and some tendinitis, but the shoulder appears to be structurally sound. The Tigers have not determined whether Manning will make his next start but surely breathed a sigh relief nevertheless upon learning that there’s no major damage.

April 16: The Tigers have dealt with more than their share of injuries in this young season, and they may have suffered another today. Matt Manning was pulled early from his start with right shoulder discomfort, the team announced. This comes just a day after fellow young starter Casey Mize was placed on the injured list with a sprained MCL.

Beyond their young starters, the Tigers already began the season without Riley Greene, one of the top prospects in the game. Only recently, offseason acquisition Javier Baez was also placed on the injured list.

Manning and Mize together represent one of the primary reasons the Tigers are viewed by many as a team to watch this season. Losing both this early in the season would be a gut punch. Not to mention, they are already without Spencer Turnbull, whose career was on the upswing before Tommy John surgery knocked him out of commission.

As for Manning himself, the 24-year-old former ninth overall pick made 18 starts last season, putting down a a 5.80 ERA/4.62 FIP over 85 1/3 innings. Today was just his second start of the young season, having tossed six innings of one-run baseball in his season debut against the Red Sox.

For today at least, Drew Hutchison stepped in for Manning, tossing three scoreless innings of one-hit relief. Hutchison could be a candidate to stay in the rotation, should Manning require a stint on the injured list. Michael Pineda is already expected to join the rotation in Mize’s place. The 31-year-old Hutchison is in his second season with the Tigers. He notched a 2.11 ERA over 21 1/3 innings last season in what was his first big league action since 2018.

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