Tigers’ Rodriguez, Diplan are claimed off waivers
SAN DIEGO, Calif. – It took just half a day for the Tigers to disprove the widely-held belief that they will be largely watching this week’s Winter Meetings from the sidelines.
In a pair of departures, the Tigers freed up additional room on their 40-man roster. For what they may be freeing up those spots remains to be seen, but as of mid-afternoon on Monday afternoon at the Manchester Grand Hyatt resort, it did not appear the team was imminent on any needle-moving transactions.
Gone are right-hander Marcos Diplan, claimed off waivers by the Orioles, and infielder Ronny Rodriguez, claimed off waivers by the Brewers.
Rodriguez, 27, hit .221 with 14 home runs and 43 RBIs last season. His late-April surge proved to be his finest moment in a Tigers uniform: Rodriguez hit .221 with 19 home runs and 63 RBIs in 146 games over the past two seasons since the team signed him to a minor-league deal.
Diplan, 23, was claimed off waivers from the Brewers late last season. He did not throw a pitch as a member of the Tigers’ organization.
Though the moves could signal a free agent addition on the horizon (or two), the Tigers do not appear to be in a position to jump at any particular deals.
In free agency, they are searching for a corner outfielder, corner infielder, catcher and pitching help. Given the large number of nontendered players hitting free agency this offseason, the Tigers most likely will wait out the market to find potential buy-low values.
Uniform change
There will be another new wrinkle to one of the iconic uniforms in all of sports.
The Tigers tweeted out a photo of what the 2020 home top will look like. As has been the case, the Old English D is on the left breast of the jersey. But on the right shoulder has a new, yet well-known logo.
The Nike swoosh is now on the front of the jerseys, as the popular shoe and athletic apparel company makes the uniforms for all 30 MLB teams. And that means the swoosh will be featured on every uniform top this season.
Even the Yankees pinstripes.
Even the “Dodgers” in blue script.
And yes, even the Tigers.
For years, there had been nothing else on the front of the Tigers’ jerseys other than the iconic D and a blue piping around the collar and down the middle.
This is the third straight season the home uniform has changed. Before the 2018 season, the Old English D on the hat and jersey were designed to match, after being slightly different for more than five decades. And, the hat’s version of the D was enlarged.
Last season, that D on the hat was taken back down to the size it was previously.
Contact Anthony Fenech at afenech@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @anthonyfenech. Read more on the Detroit Tigers and sign up for our Tigers newsletter.