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Tigers Sign Trayce Thompson

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The Tigers announced Thursday that they’ve signed outfielder Trayce Thompson to a minor league contract. He’ll head to their Triple-A affiliate in Toledo. Thompson was designated for assignment by the Padres earlier this month and elected free agency rather than accepting an outright assignment to Triple-A El Paso.

Thompson, 31, went 1-for-14 with the Padres earlier this year prior to his DFA. He’s seen big league time in parts of six seasons, batting a combined .205/.280/.397 in 640 trips to the plate. The younger brother of NBA star Klay Thompson, Trayce is a former second-round pick (White Sox, ’09) with an obvious blend of power and speed, which was on full display when he hit .295/.363/.533 in 135 plate appearances.

Thompson has ripped 26 home runs and swiped 11 bags in about a season’s worth of MLB plate appearances and has also walked at a solid 9.5% clip. However, since that terrific rookie showing back in 2015, he’s posted a grisly .180/.258/.360 batting line with a bloated 31.1% strikeout rate. He’s capable of playing all three outfield spots and has enticing raw tools, but Thompson has never put things together over a lengthy sample in the big leagues.

The Tigers could use some extra outfield depth at the moment with Austin Meadows, Victor Reyes and top prospect Riley Greene all injured. The Detroit outfield currently consists of Robbie Grossman, Derek Hill, Daz Cameron and multi-position utility options Harold Castro and Willi Castro. Backup catcher Eric Haase also has some limited experience in left field.

That list of injuries makes it sensible both that the Tigers would seek out some additional depth and that Thompson would find the opportunity to his liking. There’s a clearer path to a big league return in Detroit than he might’ve had on a deeper and healthier roster in San Diego.

Eduardo Rodriguez Suffers Side Injury, Likely Headed For IL

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3:19PM: Rodriguez left the game due to discomfort in his left side, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch told reporters (including MLive’s Evan Woodbery).  The left-hander is likely to require an injured list placement.

1:57PM: Eduardo Rodriguez lasted just one-third of an inning in today’s start against the Rays, and left the game after a mound visit from the Tigers’ team trainer.  Rodriguez was clearly off his game, allowing four singles and a walk before recording his only out of the afternoon.

After issuing another walk, the left-hander then indicated towards the Tigers’ dugout, which prompted the mound visit and Rodriguez’s departure after only 23 pitches.  Only two of those pitches hit the 90mph threshold, as E-Rod’s fastball velocity was a few miles below his 92mph average.

There hasn’t yet been an update on Rodriguez’s condition, but pitching injuries have unfortunately become far too common for the Tigers this season.  Matt Manning, Casey Mize, Michael Pineda, and Tyler Alexander have all hit the injured list since Opening Day, resulting in Beau Brieske, Alex Faedo, and Joey Wentz all being called up to make their Major League debuts.  If Rodriguez might now also be facing an IL visit, swingman Wily Peralta is probably the likeliest candidate to step into regular rotation work.

One of the major additions of a busy offseason for Detroit, Rodriguez signed a five-year, $77MM free agent contract in November, with the Tigers eyeing the southpaw as a veteran cornerstone for its young rotation.  After a slow start, Rodriguez looked to be putting things together over his last two outings, with just one run allowed in 13 1/3 innings prior to today’s abbreviated start.

Michael Pineda Won’t Require Surgery

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Tigers righty Michael Pineda sustained a fractured right middle finger when he was hit by a comebacker in his weekend start against the Orioles, but manager AJ Hinch said in an appearance on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM today that the injury is not expected to require surgery (Twitter link via Jason Beck of MLB.com). Hinch suggested that Pineda will miss more than a month but not the multiple months that likely would’ve been needed to recuperate from surgery. He’ll be reevaluated in a couple of weeks.

Pineda, 33, signed a one-year, $5.5MM contract with the Tigers this offseason after spending the previous four years with the division-rival Twins. He’s out to a nice start, with a 3.22 ERA through his first 22 1/3 innings on the season. However, he’s also averaged fewer than five innings per outing and has posted a career-worst 13.6% strikeout rate. Pineda’s once-blazing fastball averaged just 90.9 mph with the Twins in 2021 and is sitting at 90.6 mph so far in 2022, though he’s maintained outstanding control, evidenced by his 4.5% walk rate.

The fractured finger for Pineda is the latest in a mountain of pitching injuries for the Tigers so far in a disappointing 2022 season. Detroit already knew that Spencer Turnbull would be shelved for most or all of the season following last summer’s Tommy John surgery, but he’s been joined on the injured list by Casey Mize (sprained MCL in his elbow), Matt Manning (shoulder inflammation), Tyler Alexander (elbow sprain) and now Pineda.

With a rotation’s worth of arms on the shelf, the Tigers are leaning heavily on veteran Eduardo Rodriguez, breakout 25-year-old Tarik Skubal, with little clarity beyond that duo. Former first-rounder Alex Faedo got the nod in last night’s game, while rookie Beau Brieske has held his own through four starts despite an unpalatable 11-to-10 K/BB ratio in 21 frames. Veteran Wily Peralta was an unexpected boon in the rotation last year and could be stretched out from his current multi-inning relief role, and the Tigers also took a look at left-hander Joey Wentz when they called him up for his MLB debut recently.

The final few rotation spots could be in a state of flux while Detroit weathers this stretch of injuries, however. Right-hander Chase Anderson, who has a 4.02 ERA in seven Triple-A starts, gives the organization one possible veteran option to consider as they look to piece things together.

Tigers Place Austin Meadows, Victor Reyes On 10-Day IL

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May 16: The Tigers have formally placed Meadows (vertigo) and Reyes (right quad strain) on the 10-day injured list. Righty Alex Faedo and outfielder Daz Cameron have been recalled from Toledo in their place.

May 15: Austin Meadows and Victor Reyes both made early exits from the Tigers’ 5-1 win over the Orioles today, and postgame, manager A.J. Hinch told reporters (including MLB.com’s Jason Beck) that the two outfielders would be placed on the 10-day injured list.

Meadows missed three games last week due to a sinus infection, and he hadn’t played in Detroit’s previous two games due to what he described as dizziness or vertigo-like symptoms.  Attempting to play today, Meadows managed only one inning before having to depart, with Hinch saying that Meadows felt nauseous and lightheaded in addition to continued dizziness.  The skipper said that Meadows will meet with a doctor Monday in Florida when the Tigers travel to visit the Rays.

Reyes was only just activated from the IL earlier today after missing three weeks with a left quad strain.  Unfortunately for Reyes, he suffered a strain of his right quad while running the bases after a double in his first at-bat.  Reyes had to be immediately replaced by a pinch-runner.

The Tigers were going to call up Alex Faedo to start Monday’s game against Tampa Bay, so Faedo will take the roster place of one of the injured outfielders.  It would seem like a position player would be the other callup in order to help bolster the bench, and this could provide an opening for the recently-demoted Akil Baddoo to return to the majors.  However, Baddoo hasn’t hit much during his week in Triple-A, so the Tigers might want to give him more time to really get on track before calling him back up the Show.

Derek Hill and Willi Castro can fill in for Meadows and Reyes in the outfield, but losing more position players won’t help a Detroit team that has been collectively ice-cold the plate.  Meadows is one of the only Tigers with above-average production to date, with a .270/.365/.350 slash line over his first 115 plate appearances.

Michael Pineda Won’t Require Surgery For Fractured Finger

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May 15: The Tigers announced that they have placed Pineda on the IL, as expected, with Victor Reyes heading in the other direction as a corresponding move.

May 14: Tigers right-hander Michael Pineda had to leave today’s game in the second inning after being hit in his throwing hand by a Ramon Urias line drive.  Following the game, manager A.J. Hinch told reporters (including MLB.com’s Jason Beck) that Pineda had suffered a fractured right middle finger.  A trip to the injured list is inevitable, and Hinch said that Pineda will visit specialists to determine the next course of action in recovery.

It’s a tough outcome for both Pineda and the Tigers, who are already missing multiple members of their ideal starting rotation.  Matt Manning (shoulder discomfort) may be within a week or two of returning to action, but Casey Mize (elbow sprain) didn’t last long in his first rehab start, and his rehab assignment has now been paused.  Tyler Alexander also made some spot starts earlier this season, before a left elbow sprain put the southpaw on the shelf.

Pineda missed some time himself at the start of the year, as visa issues delayed his arrival to Spring Training and thus his preseason prep was delayed.  Though five starts and 22 1/3 innings, Pineda has a 3.22 ERA, though with only a 13.63% strikeout rate.  While that K% is a particular low, Pineda’s story for the last four seasons has been delivering some solid bottom-line numbers (3.77 ERA over 303 innings) despite generally unimpressive peripherals.  Pineda signed a one-year, $5.5MM deal that contains up to $2.5MM in bonus money based on innings totals, but he’ll have trouble hitting any of those innings thresholds if he misses substantial time on the IL.

The Tigers signed Pineda to add some veteran experience to their young staff, and just five weeks into the season, that pitching depth has already been sorely tested.  Tarik Skubal has been excellent and Eduardo Rodriguez has started to turn things around after a rough start, but Detroit has turned to Beau Brieske, Alex Faedo, and Joey Wentz to all make their first Major League starts.

Faedo was already expected to be recalled from Triple-A to start Monday’s game, and Brieske will likely stick in the rotation after having posted some decent results to date.  Wentz could also get another look for a start or two until the Tigers feel Manning is ready to be activated from the injured list.

Injury Notes: Votto, Meadows, Canning, Howard

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Decked out in a snazzy Dr. Strange jersey for a “Marvel Night” promotion, Joey Votto played the first game of a rehab assignment at Triple-A Louisville tonight.  Votto was placed on the COVID-related injured list on May 3, and Reds manager David Bell told reporters (including MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon) that “it’s really hard for me to know” exactly how long Votto’s rehab assignment will last.  The veteran slugger will play today and tomorrow for the Bats, and Bell seemed to imply that it could be a somewhat lengthy stint, saying “it was encouraging that he’s playing tonight.  Not too long ago, he wasn’t feeling well.”

Sheldon believes Votto could be activated from the IL when the Reds visit his hometown of Toronto on May 20-22.  Obviously the top priority is simply that Votto is healthy and can get properly prepared for his return, but this absence could also serve as a reset for the 38-year-old’s season.  Pretty much everything has gone wrong for the Reds thus far in 2022, including Votto’s ice-cold .122/.278/.135 slash line over his first 90 plate appearances.

More on other injury situations from around baseball…

  • Griffin Canning has spent the entire season on the 60-day IL due to a stress reaction in his lower back, and he felt some discomfort during a recent two-inning simulated game.  Angels GM Perry Minasian told reporters (including Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register) that it’s a relatively minor setback that won’t require any more testing, but Canning is “going to take a little more time with our medical staff in Anaheim and we’ll take it day by day.”  June 6 is Canning’s first eligible day to leave the injured list.  The 26-year-old (and former top 100 prospect) has a 4.73 ERA over 209 1/3 career innings with the Angels, a tenure highlighted by a Gold Glove in the 2020 season.  With the Angels intending to keep their six-man rotation going for the remainder of the year, the Halos will need Canning healthy to provide extra depth in the coming months.
  • Austin Meadows has missed the Tigers’ last two games due to what the outfielder described as vertigo-like symptoms and a sensation of spinning.  “I don’t know if it’s an infection or just inner ear dizziness,” Meadows told The Detroit Free Press’ Evan Petzold and other reporters.  Referring to missing three of four games during a recent series against the Astros, Meadows said “I was pretty sick in Houston.  I had a sinus infection, so I don’t know if it’s a residual effect from that, or whatever is it.”  On the plus side, Meadows did a normal set of baseball drills prior to today’s game, so he might not be far away from a return.  Meadows has hit .270/.365/.350 over 115 PA, good for a 120 wRC+ that is easily the best of any regular in the offensively-challenged Detroit lineup.
  • Cubs prospect Ed Howard’s season is in jeopardy after suffering a hip injury in a High-A game earlier this week.  While trying to avoid a tag at first base, Howard fell to the ground in awkward fashion and was in obvious pain on the field.  Howard and the organization are still trying to determine the next course of action in dealing with the injury, but speaking to The Chicago Tribune’s Meghan Montemurro and other reporters, Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer implied Howard’s 2022 campaign was over, saying “It’s a shame that his season is going to be cut short.”  The 20-year-old shortstop was the 16th overall pick of the 2020 draft, and is currently ranked 14th by MLB Pipeline and 18th by Baseball America on the pundits’ lists of the top prospects in Chicago’s farm system.  Howard’s bat is still a work in progress, but Pipeline cites him as “one of the best defenders in the entire minors.”

Drew Hutchison Elects Free Agency

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The Tigers announced that right-handed pitcher Drew Hutchison has cleared outright waivers and elected free agency. The 31-year-old veteran signed with the team in March but was designated for assignment earlier this week to clear a space on the 40-man roster for young starter Joey Wentz.

Through 10 Detroit appearances this year Hutchison has soaked up 15 plus innings and posted a 4.60 ERA, albeit with a bloated 16.7% walk rate. After a two-year run in the Tigers system it seems the organization, owner of a dismal 9-23 record to start the Major League season, prefers to shake up the roster by infusing some younger players over rostering a frequently shuttled veteran type. The former fifteenth-rounder is just a season removed from 21 plus innings of 2.11 ERA ball though, and has put up solid results in the upper minors for most of his career.

Hutchison will now head to a largely picked-clean market of free agents in hopes of latching on with another team. That the righty cleared waivers hints that his next deal will likely be of the minor league variety; given the conservative handling of many pitchers this year, however, the odds are good that Hutchison will draw interest as a depth piece in the near future. In the event of a promotion and late career breakout, a signing team can keep Hutchison under team control via arbitration through the 2023 season.

Tigers Claim Sam Howard From Pirates

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The Tigers announced they’ve claimed reliever Sam Howard off waivers from the Pirates and optioned him to Triple-A Toledo. He’d been designated for assignment last week. Detroit had two vacancies on the 40-man roster, so no additional move was necessary.

Howard, 29, has pitched in the big leagues with the Rockies and Bucs in each of the past five seasons. The Georgia Southern product has shown the ability to generate plenty of whiffs, but he’s also battled notable control woes. He’s tallied 91 MLB innings across 103 appearances, pitching to a 5.34 ERA with a solid 27.2% strikeout rate but a 14.1% walk percentage. He had an even more extreme version of that batted ball-averse style last season, when he fanned 30.2% but walked 16.1% of opponents in a personal-high 45 innings.

Those strike-throwing concerns became problematic enough for the Bucs to move on, but the Tigers will roll the dice on Howard’s swing-and-miss capabilities. He generated whiffs on 15.8% of his offerings last season, the 16th-highest rate among relievers with 40+ innings pitched. His four-seam fastball, in particular, was excellent at missing bats.

Howard still has a couple minor league option years remaining, so the Tigers can keep him at Toledo as a depth option for a while if he holds onto a 40-man roster spot. He’ll be the third left-handed reliever on the depth chart behind offseason signee Andrew Chafin and primary closer Gregory Soto.

AL Notes: Bubic, Greene, Brnovich

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The Royals announced yesterday that they optioned left-hander Kris Bubic to Triple-A Omaha, with righty Jonathan Heasley taking his spot on the active roster.

Over the past couple of years, Bubic seemed to be establishing himself as a solid, if unspectacular, part of the club’s rotation. Over 2020 and 2021, he made 30 starts and nine appearances out of the bullpen, throwing 180 innings with a 4.40 ERA. His 21% strikeout rate, 10.4% walk rate and 46.8% ground ball rate were all within a few points of league average. However, just about everything has gone in the wrong direction this year, as his ERA is currently at 12.83, with his strikeout rate dropping to 14.7%, his walk rate jumping to 16.2% and his grounder rate sinking to 38.3%. He’ll now head to Omaha and try to get the train back on the tracks. Despite having over two years of MLB service time now, he’s still just 24 years old and has plenty of time to recover.

The team is off to a disappointing 10-19 start. Although Bubic and Carlos Hernandez have struggled in the rotation, the club’s biggest weakness so far has been the bats. The team-wide slash line of .216/.282/.308 amounts to a wRC+ of 76, dead last in the majors.

Some other notes from the American League…

  • During Spring Training, it seemed like the Tigers were poised to have their top two prospects crack the Opening Day roster. In the end, first baseman Spencer Torkelson followed through, but outfielder Riley Greene couldn’t make it after fracturing his foot just a few days before the opener. It seems he could be nearing a return to the field, with Jason Beck of MLB.com relaying word from manager A.J. Hinch that Greene is about to resume baseball activities. The club is out to a miserable 9-23 start, a worse record than every team except for the Cincinnati Reds. The primary culprit has been the offense, with Austin Meadows the only Tiger having a wRC+ higher than 101 in more than 50 plate appearances. There’s no guarantee a young player will hit the ground running in his first taste of MLB action, as evidenced by Torkelson’s .146/.276/.258 line, but it’s possible that Greene could provide a boost based on his .308/.400/.553 line in Triple-A last year. Since the demotion of Akil Baddoo, the outfield mix consists of Meadows, Willi Castro, Derek Hill and Robbie Grossman. With Grossman approaching free agency at season’s end, he’s a likely trade candidate, unless the Tigers can vault themselves back into contention over the next few months.
  • The Orioles announced that pitching prospect Kyle Brnovich underwent Tommy John surgery this week, as relayed by Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. Brnovich was drafted by the Angels and traded to the Orioles as part of the Dylan Bundy deal before pitching for his original organization. Last year, he logged 95 innings across High-A and Double-A with a 3.32 ERA, 31.5% strikeout rate and 6.7% walk rate. Based on that strong season, he’s now considered the #30 prospect in the organization by Baseball America and #17 by FanGraphs. He started the year in Triple-A but was only able to throw eight innings before being shut down. He’ll now miss the remainder of this season, but could be pushing for a rotation spot in the second half of next year, given the usual 12-18 month recovery time from the procedure. Even with this setback, the club’s future rotation picture is starting to look better. Bruce Zimmermann, Tyler Wells and Kyle Bradish are showing signs of promise in the early going, to varying degrees, with prospects Grayson Rodriguez and DL Hall pitching well in Triple-A and surely nearing their MLB debuts.

Tigers To Designate Drew Hutchison For Assignment

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The Tigers will designate righty Drew Hutchison for assignment prior to tonight’s game against the A’s, the team announced yesterday.  The move will create a spot on the active 26-man roster for rookie Joey Wentz, whose call-up was covered here yesterday.  Wentz will make his MLB debut tonight, and then the Tigers will decide whether he or fellow rookie Alex Faedo will get a start next week.

The Hutchison DFA will drop the Tigers’ 40-man roster down to 39.  Hutchison, 31, is no stranger to being bounced off a 40-man roster.  The Blue Jays’ 2015 Opening Day starter, Hutchison was outrighted by the Pirates in 2017, the Pirates and Rangers in 2018, and his current team, the Tigers, last year.  So far, Hutchison has added another 15 2/3 innings to his resume in 2022, working as a low-leverage reliever for Detroit.

The Tigers’ rotation is the more pressing concern, with an ERA that ranks 22nd in baseball and has averaged 4.71 innings per start.  Tarik Skubal has been a revelation, and free agent signings Eduardo Rodriguez and Michael Pineda have done acceptable work.  Matt Manning is working his way back from a shoulder injury, while Casey Mize is set for his first rehab start tomorrow after an elbow sprain.  Though Wentz, Faedo, and Beau Brieske are not considered top prospects, the rookies will continue to deserve as the Tigers’ primary depth options once everyone is healthy.

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