Chris McCosky | The Detroit News Lakeland, Fla. — On Friday, for the first time this spring, Tigers manager AJ Hinch was late to his morning Zoom call with the media. Now, in the recent past, whenever the manager was late to a press conference, it usually meant there was a roster move or some other
The Tigers have discussed a potential reunion with right-hander Rick Porcello, Jason Beck and Jon Morosi of MLB.com report (Twitter link), although the two sides are still “a ways apart.” Tigers general manager Al Avila said earlier this week that he was still looking for arms and that adding “at least one more starter would
Associated Press | The Detroit News Minneapolis — The Minnesota Twins and right-hander Matt Shoemaker finalized a one-year, $2-million contract Friday, another experienced addition to the rotation on the first day of workouts for pitchers and catchers at spring training. Shoemaker, an Eastern Michigan alum and Trenton native, will start his ninth major-league season, after spending two
Chris McCosky | The Detroit News Lakeland, Fla. — So there was Tyler Alexander, minding his own business, intently paying attention to the morning pitchers’ meeting when all of a sudden all eyes were on him. He’d become the center of attention, an abject teaching point. “It was cool, I guess,” the Tigers’ left-hander said Friday. “I’m a pretty
Manager A.J. Hinch on Friday morning focused on Tyler Alexander’s nine consecutive strikeouts in a 2020 game. He tells our Matt Shepard why. #TigersST
Associated Press | Associated Press Windermere, Fla. — Former All-Star baseball player Johnny Damon was arrested Friday in central Florida on a charge of resisting an officer after he was pulled over for suspicion of driving under the influence, according to court and jail records. Damon, 47, was booked into the Orange County Jail early Friday after
Tigers catching prospect Dillon Dingler tells our Matt Shepard that he’s still learning how to pump the breaks when necessary. #TigersST
Tigers pitcher Tyler Alexander talks analytics — how to avoid paralysis by analysis — with our Matt Shepard. #TigersST
Friday marks the beginning of the Division I college baseball season, which means it’s officially time for Detroit Tigers fans to start preparing for the 2021 MLB Draft. Hardcore draftniks know preparation for the 2021 MLB Draft began years ago. They’ve likely been following last summer’s high-school showcase circuit, and the beginning of JuCo games…
Evan Petzold | Detroit Free Press LAKELAND, Fla. — When Casey Mize finished throwing his bullpen Thursday, Detroit Tigers manager AJ Hinch pulled him aside. The conversation wasn’t brief. “His pitches are elite across the board,” Hinch said Friday, the third day of pitcher-catcher workouts in spring training. “When he understands the impact of the elevated
2020 2nd Round Pick Dillon Dingler is impressing many at his first big league spring training. The former Ohio State catcher earned praise from new Tigers manager and former MLB catcher AJ Hinch, who likes the leadership he’s seen from the 22–year-old Dingler.
Tigers general manager Al Avila has said it: Detroit needs more pitching. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch is not going to say that. There’s a reason for that: Hinch wants to make it clear that he believes in the pitchers they have. That’s part of his job. “Obviously as a manager, you want as many options
The Tigers are four years deep in their rebuilding process, which means we’re four deep into Tigers bloggers constantly jawing about how the team needs to diversify the way they go about asset acquisition. While the team hasn’t done much in the Asian markets or by gambling on high-value reclamation projects, they’ve overhauled their strategy
Evan Petzold | Detroit Free Press LAKELAND, Fla. — Jack of all trades, master of none. In a nutshell, this figure of speech fits Detroit Tigers reliever Buck Farmer, the factotum of the bullpen. That bodes well for new manager AJ Hinch, who is going to push his relievers to pitch multiple innings this season. If Farmer has the hot hand, Hinch will let him
Chris McCosky | The Detroit News Lakeland, Fla. — Every day, it seems, the Tigers are either adding or in talks to add more pitching. Veteran Wily Peralta agreed to a minor-league deal Thursday night. With right-hander Taijuan Walker signing with the New York Mets on Friday, the door is now possibly open for a reunion between
The Tigers’ ongoing search for pitching help could lead them to a familiar face. Detroit has shown interest in a potential reunion with its former top pick turned veteran starter Rick Porcello, MLB.com has learned, though the two sides remain apart on potential contract terms. If the two sides can bridge the gap, it would
Chris McCosky | The Detroit News Lakeland, Fla. – The Tigers on Thursday agreed to terms on a minor-league deal with veteran right-handed reliever Wily Peralta. Eventually the 31-year-old will join the Tigers’ big-league camp, but he is sorting through visa issues. MLB Network’s Jon Heyman, who first reported the deal, said Peralta would earn $1.5
Jeff Seidel | Detroit Free Press LAKELAND, Fla. — He has been here before. This is where it happened. Right in Joker Marchant Stadium. AJ Hinch was a member of the Cleveland Indians in 2003, getting ready to play a spring training game against the Detroit Tigers in Lakeland, when he was walking from the bullpen
The Red Sox announced this afternoon that they’ve claimed righty John Schreiber off waivers from the Tigers and placed left-hander Chris Sale on the 60-day injured list to open a 40-man roster spot. The Sale move shouldn’t come as a shock, given that he underwent Tommy John surgery on March 30 last year. It was
Recent seasons have seen a bunch of exciting new aces make the leap, like Dinelson Lamet and Corbin Burnes in 2020 and Shane Bieber and Lucas Giolito in 2019. Let’s figure out who might be next. MLB.com convened five reporters to draft 10 breakout pitcher candidates for the coming season — five from the American