The Detroit Tigers have recently announced a series of roster moves on Monday. These moves include the optioning of pitchers Alex Faedo and Edwin Uceta to Triple-A Toledo, as well as the reassignment of pitchers Kervin Castro, Miguel Díaz, and Miguel Del Pozo, along with position players Brendon Davis and Jermaine Palacios to minor league camp. With these moves, the Tigers now have 41 players remaining in camp.
The optioning of Alex Faedo and Edwin Uceta to Triple-A Toledo is not entirely unexpected. Faedo, a right-handed pitcher, has struggled in his previous outings in the majors, with a 7.36 ERA in 11 appearances during the 2022 season. He is coming back from right hip surgery, so beyond the numbers, he could benefit from getting innings in Toledo.
“He will be stretched out to start at (Triple-A) Toledo,” manager AJ Hinch said. “We are going to map out his week, get him up to between four and five innings, and then he will be ready to start.”
Uceta has shown some swing and miss ability, but he walked four in seven innings of work. The same issue for Castro, who has flashed a good fastball and slider in camp. Along with Diaz and Del Pozo, the backend of Toledo’s bullpen should look promising.
Monday’s starter Trey Wingeater, is among several relievers in camp. Wingeater is starting in place of Michael Lorenzen. Lorenzen is missing his start due to right groin soreness.
Michael Lorenzen won’t start for the Tigers today. Groin tightness. He will undergo further evaluation
Trey Wingenter will start in his place
— Cody Stavenhagen (@CodyStavenhagen) March 20, 2023
For Wingeater, he continues to emerge as a candidate to make the team on Opening Day. Along with Wingeater, there’s still a battle for the lefties in the bullpen. It narrows down to Chasen Shreve, who, like Wingeater, is a non-roster invite, Tyler Alexander and Tyler Holton. Both Holton and Alexander are on the 40-man roster.
Position player wise, the Tigers have several decisions to make among the non-roster invites. César Hernández, Andy Ibáñez, Jonathan Davis, and two catchers in Michael Papierski and Andrew Knapp. Knapp has hit .304/.385 /.826 including a two home run game.
Luck was definitely on Andrew Knapp’s side.
He hits home runs from both sides of the plate in back-to-back at-bats! pic.twitter.com/kvQEHAr5OJ
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) March 17, 2023
As for the back of the rotation and fourth outfield job, those will more than like to come down to the final days before the Tigers start their season in Tampa.
