Detroit Tigers looking to make final touches to Opening Day roster

Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch has a series of tough decisions to make as the last days of spring training are here. On Friday, the Tigers announced a series of roster moves:

• optioned pitcher RHP Will Vest and catcher to Triple-A Toledo
• Andy Ibáñez was sent down to minor league camp
• Pitcher Michael Lorenzen and infielder Tyler Nevin will start the season on the IL. Lefty Joey Wentz will be a part of the Opening Day roster.

Hinch also told the rest of the catchers left in camp their fate. Eric Haase and Jake Rogers will be the two catchers with the team. Andrew Knapp and Michael Papierski will still be in camp, but they did not make the team.

Non-roster Detroit Tigers left in camp

• OF Jonathan Davis
• INF César Hernández
• RHP Trey Wingenter
• LHP Chasen Shreve

Shreve and Wingenter have been impressive in camp and are lining up to take spots on the 40-man roster. In seven innings of work for Wingenter, he has struck out 11, walked just one and has held hitters to a .167 batting average.

For the final fourth outfielder spot, Kerry Carpenter and Akil Baddoo are neck and neck. Both provide something different enough for Hinch to carry both of them on the roster. Baddoo can cause havoc on the base paths with his speed and has been looking better in the outfield this spring. Carpenter, on the other hand, continues to hit. He is 6-for-14 over the last week (.429) and he has struck out just twice. If those numbers carry over into the regular season, the power Carpenter has in his bat would definitely help an offense that needs all the power it can get.

Zach Short and Ryan Kreidler are also in line to make the Opening Day roster. Both have seen time in spots in the outfield this spring but Kreidler is hitting at a much better clip (13-for-48, .271/.327/.458)  But why the delay on the final spots?  Cody Stavenhagen of the Athletic tweeted out a theory on Friday, and it makes sense, could Detroit be waiting to make a move next week?