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Wily Peralta

Which Remaining Free Agent Relievers Are Coming Off The Best Seasons?

By Anthony Franco | December 26, 2022 at 4:45pm CDT

The offseason floodgates opened this month, with an avalanche of free agent activity once the Winter Meetings got underway. Things have quieted down in recent days thanks to the holidays, but clubs are likely to again get back to attacking the free agent market in earnest this week.

Most of the winter’s top names are off the board, leaving teams to mostly look through lower-cost options as they search for upgrades on the margins of the roster. There are still a number of experienced options available, particularly for teams seeking to round out the bullpen. Using MLBTR’s free agent list, we find 47 pitchers who tossed at least 20 innings out of a team’s bullpen in 2022 and remain unsigned.

We’ll sort the remaining free agent relievers by various metrics of 2022 performance to identify some of the top arms. There are obviously other factors for teams to consider — quality of raw stuff, pre-2022 track record, the player’s injury history, etc. — but a brief snapshot on the top bullpen arms by last year’s performance should provide a decent starting point for players teams might target moving forward. (All figures cited, including league averages, are looking solely at pitchers’ outings as relievers).

ERA (league average — 3.86)

  1. Matt Moore (LHP), 1.95
  2. Alex Young (LHP), 2.08
  3. Matt Wisler (RHP), 2.23
  4. Wily Peralta (RHP), 2.72
  5. Brad Hand (LHP), 2.80
  6. Andrew Chafin (LHP), 2.83
  7. David Phelps (RHP), 2.87
  8. Ralph Garza Jr. (RHP), 3.34
  9. Jackson Stephens (RHP), 3.38
  10. Michael Fulmer (RHP), 3.39

Strikeout rate (league average — 23.6%)

  1. Daniel Norris (LHP), 30%
  2. Darren O’Day (RHP), 27.7%
  3. Andrew Chafin, 27.6%
  4. Matt Moore, 27.3%
  5. Aroldis Chapman (LHP), 26.9%
  6. Steve Cishek (RHP), 25.8%
  7. Chasen Shreve (LHP), 25.4%
  8. Will Smith (LHP), 24.9%
  9. David Phelps, 23.9%
  10. Noé Ramirez, 23.7%

Strikeout/walk rate differential (league average — 14.5 percentage points)

  1. Andrew Chafin, 19.8 points
  2. Daniel Norris, 19 points
  3. Darren O’Day, 17 points
  4. Chasen Shreve, 16.7 points
  5. Steve Cishek, 16.4 points
  6. Craig Stammen (RHP), 15.7 points
  7. Will Smith, 15.3 points
  8. Matt Moore, 14.8 points
  9. Ross Detwiler (LHP), 14.8 points
  10. Luke Weaver (RHP), 13.8 points

Ground-ball rate (league average — 43.5%)

  1. Luis Perdomo (RHP), 62.5%
  2. Joe Smith (RHP), 57.5%
  3. Alex Young, 55.7%
  4. Alex Colomé (RHP), 55.6%
  5. T.J. McFarland (LHP), 53%
  6. Craig Stammen, 52.6%
  7. Garrett Richards (RHP), 52.4%
  8. Bryan Shaw (RHP), 51.8%
  9. Andrew Chafin, 51.3%
  10. Jacob Barnes (RHP), 50.7%

FIP (league average — 3.86)

  1. Luke Weaver, 2.46
  2. Alex Young, 2.65
  3. Matt Moore, 2.98
  4. Andrew Chafin, 3.06
  5. David Phelps, 3.11
  6. Garrett Richards, 3.16
  7. Jackson Stephens, 3.45
  8. Michael Fulmer, 3.57
  9. Brad Hand, 3.93
  10. Darren O’Day, 4.04

Innings Pitched

  1. Matt Moore, 74
  2. Caleb Smith (LHP), 69
  3. Steve Cishek, 66 1/3
  4. Michael Fulmer, 63 2/3
  5. David Phelps, 62 2/3
  6. Hunter Strickland (RHP), 62 1/3
  7. Will Smith, 59
  8. Andrew Chafin, 57 1/3
  9. Bryan Shaw, 54
  10. Jackson Stephens/Hirokazu Sawamura (RHP), 50 2/3 each
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2022-23 MLB Free Agents MLBTR Originals Alex Colome Alex Young Andrew Chafin Aroldis Chapman Brad Hand Bryan Shaw Caleb Smith Chasen Shreve Craig Stammen Daniel Norris Darren O'Day David Phelps Garrett Richards Hirokazu Sawamura Hunter Strickland Jackson Stephens Jacob Barnes Joe Smith Luis Perdomo Luke Weaver Matt Moore Matt Wisler Michael Fulmer Noe Ramirez Ralph Garza Ross Detwiler Steve Cishek T.J. McFarland Will Smith Wily Peralta

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Tigers Release Wily Peralta

By Darragh McDonald | August 22, 2022 at 1:00pm CDT

The Tigers announced that right-hander Wily Peralta has cleared waivers and been granted his release. He had been designated for assignment last week.

Peralta, 33, had a very nice season for the Tigers in 2021, registering a 3.07 ERA over 93 2/3 innings. There were reasons to suspect that it wasn’t totally sustainable, however, especially given his 14.4% strikeout rate, which was well below average. A .259 batting average on balls in play probably played a factor as well. As such, despite that strong ERA, Peralta had to settle for re-signing with the Tigers on a minor league deal for 2022.

He eventually had his contract selected in mid-April, guaranteeing himself a $2.5MM base salary. Detroit dealt with numerous injuries to its pitching staff all year long, ensuring that there was always a need for Peralta’s services. Even Peralta himself was not immune, missing almost a month due to a hamstring strain. But when he was present, he was still effective, putting up a 2.58 ERA over 38 1/3 innings and an improved strikeout rate of 19%, though an elevated 14.3% walk rate.

However, with the club out of contention, they plan to use the remainder of the season to evaluate pitchers for long-term purposes, seeing how they fit into the roster for 2023 and beyond. As Eduardo Rodriguez returned from his lengthy absence, the club let Peralta go, with manager A.J. Hinch saying that “We’re giving Wily Peralta a chance to pitch somewhere else while we look at some guys who are more likely to be here.”

There’s around $588K remaining on Peralta’s $2.5MM salary, which the Tigers will now be on the hook for since he cleared waivers. If any team were to sign him now, they would only be responsible for the prorated league minimum, with that amount being subtracted from what the Tigers pay.

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Detroit Tigers Transactions Wily Peralta

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Tigers Reinstate Eduardo Rodriguez, Designate Wily Peralta

By Darragh McDonald | August 19, 2022 at 3:45pm CDT

The Tigers have reinstated left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez from the restricted list, tweets Daniel Álvarez-Montes of El Extra Base. Right-hander Wily Peralta was designated for assignment in a corresponding move.

Rodriguez, 29, was signed in the offseason to a five-year, $77MM contract, with the Tigers hoping he could be a veteran anchor of their young rotation. Detroit had debuted many promising young starters in previous seasons, including Casey Mize, Matt Manning, Tarik Skubal and others. It was hoped that those youngers, combined with the addition of Rodriguez, could give the club a strong rotation and help them emerge from their years-long rebuild.

Unfortunately, Murphy’s law has been applied to the Tigers in the strictest possible terms this season, with their rotation being heavily targeted. Mize made just two starts before landing on the injured list, eventually undergoing Tommy John surgery, keeping him out of action for this year and likely most of next year as well. Manning has since returned but missed almost four months due to shoulder issues, having made just five starts so far this year. Skubal stayed healthy for a while, making 21 starts, but recently underwent a flexor tendon surgery that will finish his 2022 and likely keep him out of action for part of 2023 as well.

As for Rodriguez, he landed on the injured list in May due to a ribcage sprain. He started a rehab assignment in early June but was then transferred to the restricted list due to a personal matter which was later reported to be a marital issue. He returned to begin another rehab assignment in early August, working back up to a starter’s workload before today’s return. In the end, Rodriguez spent just over two months on the restricted list, during which time he didn’t take up a spot on the 40-man roster or earn any salary. Prior to that extended absence, he made eight starts for Detroit, registering a 4.38 ERA in 39 innings.

With the club’s rotation being so snakebit all year, they have had to churn through various backup plans over the course of the season. One of those was Peralta, 33, who was signed to a minor league deal in the offseason. He was selected to the roster in mid-April and appeared in 28 games. In 38 1/3 innings on the year, he has a 2.58 ERA, not missing bats entirely but at least missing the most important part. His 19% strikeout rate is below league average but he’s in the 89th percentile in terms of barrel percentage. Perhaps due to keeping hitters off-balance, his 5.6% HR/FB rate is less than half his career rate, helping to keep his ERA down.

Despite those solid results, Peralta will head to the waiver wire in the coming days, as the trade deadline is now behind us. Manger A.J. Hinch spoke to reporters about today’s moves, including Chris McCosky of the Detroit News, explaining that they want to use the remainder of the season to evaluate younger pitchers. “We’re giving Wily Peralta a chance to pitch somewhere else while we look at some guys who are more likely to be here,” Hinch said.

Hinch also explained that Daniel Norris and Garrett Hill will be moved to the bullpen, as the club has multiple off-days coming up and can survive with a four-man rotation for a few weeks. In Hill’s case, the move is about limiting his innings down the stretch in order to avoid overworking him. The club’s rotation for the time being will consist of Rodriguez, Manning, Tyler Alexander and Drew Hutchison.

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Detroit Tigers Transactions Eduardo Rodriguez Wily Peralta

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Tigers Designate Derek Hill For Assignment

By Steve Adams | August 1, 2022 at 3:51pm CDT

The Tigers have designated outfielder Derek Hill for assignment, per a club announcement. His spot on the 40-man roster will go to lefty Andrew Chafin, who has been reinstated from the restricted list. Detroit also optioned righty Angel De Jesus to Triple-A Toledo to open an active roster spot for Chafin.

There’ll be more moves for the Tigers before too long — and not only because of tomorrow’s trade deadline. Chris McCosky of the Detroit News tweets that the Tigers will also need to make a pair of moves tomorrow, when righties Matt Manning and Wily Peralta are reinstated from the injured list.

Hill was the organization’s first-round pick back in 2014. The speedy outfielder was one of the more interesting prospects in the system for an extended stretch based on his baserunning and defense, but his bat hasn’t caught up to his glove. He’s appeared in the big leagues in each of the past three seasons, but he owns a .240/.291/.339 line with four home runs and a strikeout rate just below 30% through 254 plate appearances.

The 26-year-old Hill has also struggled mightily with Toledo this season. He’s hitting .217/.269/.325 in 30 Triple-A games, leading to his removal from the roster. He’ll presumably be placed on waivers over the next few days.

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Detroit Tigers Transactions Andrew Chafin Angel De Jesus Derek Hill Matt Manning Wily Peralta

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The Tigers Will Be Getting Plenty Of Calls About Their Bullpen

By Steve Adams | July 13, 2022 at 1:20pm CDT

Not much has gone right for the Tigers so far in 2022. They’re without the majority of their projected starting rotation. Former No. 1 overall pick Casey Mize underwent Tommy John surgery, while their other recent No. 1 overall pick, Spencer Torkelson, has looked overmatched in the big leagues so far. Javier Baez, who signed a $140MM contract over the winter, has had a roller coaster season en route to an overall .211/.248/.372 batting line. Their trio of productive veterans from the 2021 season — Jonathan Schoop, Jeimer Candelario and Robbie Grossman — are all struggling through arguably the worst seasons of their career.

The 2022 Tigers serve as a reminder that not all rebuilding efforts go as smoothly as the most famous success stories in Houston and Chicago, but for all the bleak outcomes thus far, they’ve had their share of successes. Tarik Skubal has struggled of late but looks like a bona fide mid-rotation starter or better through a half season of innings. Outfielder Riley Greene, the No. 5 overall pick in 2019, has ascended to the top of Baseball America’s Top 100 prospect rankings and held his own through his first 99 plate appearances. And perhaps most surprisingly, despite all the struggles in the rotation and the tax that typically takes on a team’s relief corps, the Tigers rank third in all of baseball with a collective 3.05 bullpen ERA.

Success from Detroit’s collection of relievers shouldn’t be a total surprise, though few would’ve expected quite this extent. Flamethrowing lefty Gregory Soto established himself as a quality ’pen option last year, and former Rookie of the Year Michael Fulmer handled his early-2021 move to the bullpen fairly well. The Tigers brought in one of the more underrated free agents on the market this past offseason when they inked lefty Andrew Chafin to a two-year pact (the second season of which is a player option).

That said, the Tigers have gotten contributions from some fairly unexpected names. Joe Jimenez was once hailed as the closer of the future in Detroit, but he pitched his way out of a roster spot in 2021, when he was optioned to Triple-A on multiple occasions (for the first time since 2017). This year, he looks like the power arm he was always expected to be. Twenty-six-year-old righty Alex Lange, acquired in the 2019 trade that sent Nick Castellanos to the Cubs, has improved upon his 2021 rookie strikeout and walk rates, setting himself up as a potential long-term option in the late innings. Righty Will Vest, briefly lost to the Mariners via the Rule 5 Draft but thankfully (well, for the Tigers) returned midway through that season, has a 3.55 ERA in 33 frames (and a 2.25 mark if you set aside one fluky five-run meltdown). Starter-turned-reliever Tyler Alexander has a 1.06 ERA out of the ’pen — albeit with less convincing secondary marks.

There have been other contributors, but the overarching point here is that the Tigers have received unexpectedly sound contributions from their relief corps — including the expected veterans and some more controllable, young options alike. Over the next three weeks, those more experienced arms figure to be among the more popular names on the trade market. Let’s run through some of the possible names available…

Michael Fulmer, RHP, 29 years old ($4.95MM salary, free agent at season’s end)

Fulmer, in particular, seems a likely candidate to be moved. After injuries decimated the former rotation stalwart’s mid-20s, he’s returned as a shutdown option in the late innings, serving as the primary bridge to the hard-throwing Soto. Through 33 1/3 innings so far in 2022, Fulmer owns a 1.89 ERA with a 24.2% strikeout rate against an 11.7% walk rate. Fulmer’s K-BB% could certainly stand to improve, but it’s hard to overlook the fact that he’s yielded just one earned run over his past 18 innings (0.50 ERA), punching out 30.1% of his opponents along the way.

Since moving to the ’pen on a full-time basis on May 5 of last season, Fulmer boasts a superlative 2.10 ERA with 23 holds, 16 saves, an above-average strikeout rate and walk/ground-ball tendencies that are only slightly below par. He’s limiting hard contact and barrels, averaging 95.3 mph on his heater and has generally looked the part of a quality late-inning arm. Fulmer is a free agent at season’s end, and his $4.95MM salary is generally affordable. It’d frankly be a surprise if the Tigers didn’t trade him.

Andrew Chafin, LHP, 32 years old ($5.5MM salary, $6.5MM player option for 2023)

As with Fulmer, it’d be a surprise if Chafin lasted in Detroit beyond the deadline — although the circumstances surrounding him are slightly different. He’s technically signed through the 2023 season, but next year’s $6.5MM guarantee comes in the form of a player option. Based on Chafin’s 2.30 ERA, 30.3% strikeout rate, 7.3% walk rate and 50.8% ground-ball rate, it’d take a mammoth second-half collapse or a serious injury for him to opt into the second season of the contract.

At one point this winter it looked as though Chafin might’ve been a candidate to land a three-year deal, but the two-year pact and the player option likely mean he’ll come out ahead of where he’d have been with a straight three-year arrangement. Chafin just turned 32 last month, and this second straight dominant season proves two things: his shaky performance in 2020 was a small-sample fluke, and the huge gains he made in terms of his command appear to be sustainable.

Barring an unexpected collapse or the aforementioned injury scenario, Chafin seems like a lock to hit the market in search of either a three-year deal or a two-year pact with a higher annual value than his current $6.5MM level. Teams will view him as a likely rental, though the downside of being potentially “stuck” with him following an unforeseeable injury (due to that player option) could tamp down his value a slight bit.

Joe Jimenez, RHP, 27 years old ($1.785MM salary, arb-eligible through 2023)

Although he’s controllable beyond the current season and the Tigers are trying to put together a winning club, it’d be understandable if they were tempted to capitalize on the 27-year-old Jimenez’s bounceback from an awful 2020-21 stretch (6.35 ERA in 68 innings).

Jimenez looks every bit like the late-inning arm the Tigers foresaw earlier in his career. Last night’s pair of runs allowed did bump his ERA from 2.97 to 3.48, but Jimenez has punched out exactly one-third of his opponents and walked just 5.9% of them. This year’s 95.8 mph average fastball velocity is a career-best mark, and Jimenez is tied for 25th among 173 qualified relievers when it comes to inducing chases off the plate (37.2%). With top-of-the-scale four-seam spin rate and excellent percentile rankings in most key Statcast metrics, Jimenez looks like he’s finally arrived — it just happened several years later than hoped.

Detroit will have a decision to make: cash in now and try to get max value when Jimenez has more than a season of club control remaining, or hold onto him and risk a return to his prior struggles. A healthy Jimenez could play a key role on what the Tigers’ front office surely hopes will be a more competitive 2023 team, but it’s also possible that he could be used as a part of a trade to acquire a more controllable piece who could contribute to that same club.

Wily Peralta, RHP, 33 years old ($2.5MM salary, free agent at season’s end)

Peralta revived his career with the 2021 Tigers and has enjoyed solid results out of the bullpen despite shaky command this season. He’s sporting a 2.16 ERA but also has a below-average 19.6% strikeout rate and a lofty 14% walk rate. Still, Peralta throws hard (95.6 mph average fastball), keeps the ball on the ground (48.4%) and has yielded roughly average levels of hard contact. He’s also a former starter who’s no stranger to working multiple innings.

Peralta is currently out with a hamstring injury, which further clouds his trade possibilities. Still, the asking price won’t be high, and there’s little reason for the Tigers not to move him, unless they simply don’t find an interested party willing to give anything up in return. But with the number of teams needing bullpen help and rotation depth, one would imagine a pitcher with a 3.57 ERA over his past 201 1/3 big league innings and a near-96 mph average on his sinker would drum up modest interest, sub-par command or not.

Gregory Soto, LHP, 27 years old ($722K salary, arb-eligible through 2025)

The longest shot among Tigers bullpen arms to be traded due to that remaining club control and the team’s stated desire to compete sooner than later, Soto is also the most tantalizing raw talent in the group. Lefties who average 98.6 mph on their fastballs aren’t exactly common, after all, and Soto’s 11.3% walk rate in 2022, while still well north of the league average, is the best of his career.

Soto doesn’t miss as many bats as one would expect for a pitcher with his raw stuff, and this year’s 24.1% strikeout rate is a career-low — due in no small part to a decrease in the usage of a slider that hasn’t been nearly as effective in 2022 as it was in prior seasons. In that sense, moving Soto would almost be “selling low” at this point, which is a counterintuitive thing to say about someone recently named to the All-Star team.

In all likelihood, it’s a moot point. The Tigers are aiming to compete as soon as next season, and they control Soto all the way through the 2025 campaign. It’d take a massive return for them to move him, and he’s listed here more because teams will likely try to pry him loose than because he actually has a chance to be moved.

—

By the time Aug. 3 rolls around, it seems likely that Detroit will have found deals to their liking for Fulmer and Chafin at the very least. Jimenez, with just one season of club control remaining and some shaky performances in his recent track record, would seem a decent candidate to go as well. Peralta should move if healthy. The Tigers will undoubtedly get ample interest in the likes of Soto, Lange and some of their more controllable arms, but that’s tougher to envision.

It’s not the type of busy deadline that GM Al Avila and assistant GMs Jay Sartori, David Chadd and Sam Menzin hoped to have, but it seems likely that they’ll still be plenty active over the next 20 days.

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Detroit Tigers MLBTR Originals Andrew Chafin Gregory Soto Joe Jimenez Michael Fulmer Wily Peralta

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Injury Notes: Kikuchi, Soroka, Peralta, Segura

By Anthony Franco | July 8, 2022 at 8:42am CDT

The Blue Jays placed struggling starter Yusei Kikuchi on the 15-day injured list last night due to a neck strain. The team didn’t provide any specifics on a timetable for his return, but he’ll be out of action at least through the All-Star Break.

Kikuchi may have been in danger of ceding his rotation spot anyhow, as manager Charlie Montoyo implied before his IL placement the club could move him to the bullpen in lieu of his next scheduled start (link via Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet). That’s reflective of how poorly the southpaw has pitched of late, as he’s been tagged for a 7.99 ERA in seven starts since the calendar turned to June. That brought his season line up to a 5.12 ERA, on track for his third 5.00+ mark in his four MLB seasons. He’s dominated same-handed batters but been tattooed for a .270/.397/.526 clip against righties, a trend he also showed throughout his three seasons with the Mariners.

With Kikuchi’s underperformance and the loss of Hyun-jin Ryu to Tommy John surgery, the Jays are widely expected to prioritize starting pitching help over the coming weeks. Toronto has gotten generally excellent work from Kevin Gausman and Alek Manoah, while swingman Ross Stripling has stepped in well at the back end. José Berríos is amidst a career-worst season, however, and Nate Pearson won’t resume throwing until the end of the month after suffering a lat strain while building back from a battle with mononucleosis.

In other health situations around the game:

  • Mike Soroka has made just three starts since the end of the 2019 season. The Braves right-hander tore his Achilles tendon early in 2020, then unfortunately suffered the same fate a year later. Soroka has been working his way back from that pair of devastating injuries in hopes of a midseason return, but he’s now dealing with another setback. As Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution first reported, the 24-year-old was hit in the knee by a comebacker while throwing live batting practice. Atlanta is calling the injury a bruise and has shut Soroka down for the time being, preferring to make sure his knee is at full strength before he resumes a throwing program. It’s obviously a far more minor concern than either of the Achilles tears have been, but the stroke of poor luck will push back his timeline to begin a minor league rehab assignment by at least a little bit.
  • The Tigers lost reliever Wily Peralta to the 15-day injured list earlier this week, as he’s dealing with a strained left hamstring. Manager A.J. Hinch told reporters (including Chris McCosky of the Detroit News) that Peralta is expected to miss a fair bit of time. Hinch suggested it was unlikely he’d be back before the end of July, and it seems possible his absence could extend beyond that. Peralta, who returned to the organization on a minor league deal last winter, has tossed 33 1/3 innings through 23 appearances. The righty has a sparkling 2.16 ERA and a solid 48.4% ground-ball rate, but he’s walked 14% of batters faced with a strikeout rate below the league average.
  • Jean Segura has been out since the beginning of June. The Phillies second baseman fractured his right index finger on a bunt attempt, an injury that required surgery and came with a 10-12 week recovery estimate. That set his timetable at late August or perhaps into September, but Segura told reporters this week he feels he could beat that initial projection (link via Todd Zolecki of MLB.com). The 32-year-old recently had a trio of pins removed from his finger and is set for further evaluation next week. If that round of testing comes back as hoped, he could be cleared to start throwing and taking swings. Phils second baseman have posted an impressive .268/.339/.429 line since Segura went down, but there’s no question they’d welcome an opportunity to get him back sooner than anticipated and free up some of their utility options for work elsewhere around the infield.
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Atlanta Braves Detroit Tigers Notes Philadelphia Phillies Toronto Blue Jays Jean Segura Mike Soroka Wily Peralta Yusei Kikuchi

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Tigers To Promote Alex Faedo

By Anthony Franco | May 4, 2022 at 9:21am CDT

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).

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Detroit Tigers Alex Faedo Wily Peralta

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Tigers Place Casey Mize On Injured List

By Anthony Franco | April 16, 2022 at 2:02pm CDT

TODAY: Mize has a sprained MCL, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch told reporters (including Chris McCosky of The Detroit News and Evan Petzold of The Detroit Free Press).  Mize will undergo more tests on Monday but did say that his arm was already feeling better today.  Pineda has been scratched from tomorrow’s Triple-A start and is expected to pitch for the Tigers during their upcoming series (Apri 19-21) against the Yankees.

APRIL 15: The Tigers announced they’ve placed starter Casey Mize on the 10-day injured list with a right elbow sprain. Cody Stavenhagen of the Athletic relays the Tigers consider the IL placement “precautionary” in nature. In a corresponding move, outfielder Daz Cameron has been recalled from Triple-A Toledo.

Mize worked five innings of two-run ball yesterday against the Royals. He felt some elbow soreness upon waking up this morning and will go for further testing, tweets Jason Beck of MLB.com. That the team is stressing today’s IL placement to be precautionary is a bit of a relief, but it’s worrisome any time a young pitcher of Mize’s talent goes on the shelf with any sort of arm issue.

The first overall pick in the 2018 draft, Mize entered the professional ranks with sky-high expectations. He moved quickly through the minors, performing well consistently while maintaining his status as a top prospect. The Alabama native reached the big leagues late in 2020 and spent last season in the Detroit rotation. Over 30 starts, Mize tossed 150 1/3 innings of 3.71 ERA ball. His 19.3% strikeout percentage and 9.4% swinging strike rate were subpar, but he showed excellent control and induced ground-balls at a solid 48.1% clip.

Mize stayed healthy for the entirety of last season, but he’s had some injury concerns in the past. He missed time with forearm troubles during his sophomore year at Auburn — essentially the only flag raised on pre-draft scouting reports — and he spent a month on the minor league IL with shoulder soreness in 2019. Between that history and Mize’s obvious importance to the organization long-term, the Tigers are sure to proceed with caution.

With Mize out of the rotation for at least the next week and a half, the Tigers are down to Eduardo Rodríguez, Tarik Skubal, Matt Manning and Tyler Alexander as the top four. Detroit signed veteran righty Michael Pineda to a one-year deal to serve as the #5 starter, but he was delayed by visa issues and consented to be optioned to Toledo to open the year. Pineda is lined up to start for the Mud Hens this weekend but could be recalled by the middle or end of next week.

Right-hander Wily Peralta started 18 games for the Tigers last season and is in the organization on a minor league deal. He’s been building up arm strength after visa delays held him back too, but manager A.J. Hinch told reporters he’ll be brought up to the majors “shortly” (link via Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free-Press). Detroit plans on deploying him out of the bullpen this season, but his background as a starter should make him a multi-inning option. Peralta is not yet on the 40-man roster, so the Tigers will need to make a move in that regard to formally select his contract.

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Tigers Select Wily Peralta, Designate Bryan Garcia

By Mark Polishuk | April 16, 2022 at 9:02am CDT

The Tigers have selected the contract of right-hander Wily Peralta.  To create 40-man roster space, the team announced that righty Bryan Garcia has been designated for assignment.

As per the teams of his minor league deal, Peralta will lock in $2.5MM in guaranteed salary for reaching the active roster, and he can also earn another $500K in incentive bonuses.  Despite a 3.07 ERA over 93 2/3 innings with Detroit last season, Peralta had to settle for another minor league contract, likely due to both the lockout-shortened offseason and some underwhelming secondary numbers.  Peralta was below average in most major Statcast categories, including a 14.4% strikeout rate that ranked in only the third percentile of all pitchers.  Peralta also had a 50.7% grounder rate, and might benefit from some more batted-ball luck with Javier Baez now behind him in the Tigers infield.

Peralta started 18 of 19 games last season and could be in line for a return to the rotation now that Casey Mize has been placed on the 10-day injured list.  However, Peralta has only pitched in relief over three minor league outings this season, so the Tigers could opt for an opener/bulk pitcher or piggyback setup while Peralta gets more fully stretched out.  Detroit has off-days on each of the next three Mondays, which will help the team mix and match its pitchers and give starter Michael Pineda more time to ramp up in the minors.

Garcia has posted some strong numbers (2.92 ERA, 29.19% strikeout rate) over 142 career relief innings in Detroit’s farm system, though he has had trouble repeating that consistency over three big league seasons.  After delivering a 1.66 ERA over 21 2/3 innings in 2020, Garcia struggled to a 7.55 ERA in 39 1/3 frames last year, due to control problems and an inability to keep the ball in the park.  Given the potential Garcia has shown in the minors, it seems quite possible that another team might claim Garcia away from the Tigers on DFA waivers.

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Tigers Notes: Peralta, Chafin, Cisnero

By Darragh McDonald | April 11, 2022 at 10:28pm CDT

The Tigers’ bullpen could have some reinforcements on the way, with righty Wily Peralta and lefty Andrew Chafin making their way back.

Peralta was signed to a minor league deal in mid-March, on the heels of a solid 2021 campaign. In 93 2/3 innings over 18 starts and one relief appearance, he put up an ERA of 3.07. His 14.4% strikeout rate was well below average, but he paired that with a 50.7% ground ball rate. Due to issues with the work visa process, he wasn’t able to report to camp until April 3rd, per Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. He’s now pitching in the minors and seems to be on a good track. “We’ll probably have a couple outings there where he pitches a day, maybe a day off and pitch again like a reliever,” manager A.J. Hinch tells Petzold. “But we’d like him on our team as soon as he’s ready.” Peralta isn’t currently on the 40-man roster and will require a corresponding move.

As for Chafin, he was signed to a two-year, $13MM contract after having the best season of his career. In 68 2/3 innings between the Cubs and A’s, he had a miniscule 1.83 ERA, along with a 24.1% strikeout rate and 7.1% walk rate. He’s yet to make his debut as a Tiger due to a left groin strain, though he did throw a bullpen yesterday. “It’s the best his arm has felt and his body has felt the entire spring, even when his leg wasn’t injured,” Hinch says. Although there’s no specific timetable, Hinch says “It’s trending in the right direction.”

As for Jose Cisnero, he won’t be re-joining the club any time soon, as he was placed on the 60-day IL to start the season with a strained right shoulder. The good news is that he won’t be undergoing surgery, per Jason Beck of MLB.com. “He’s going to strictly get rid of the inflammation and build strength,” Hinch told Beck. That’s got to be somewhat encouraging for the club’s fans, as Cisnero has had a nice stretch in Detroit. Over the previous three years, he threw 126 2/3 innings of 3.69 ERA ball, with a 24.7% strikeout rate and 10.9% walk rate.

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