ROSTER BATTLES IN LAST STRETCH
It’s go time.
Tigers’ manager AJ Hinch alerted his team last week that beginning March 12, it was time to lock in and get serious. The season starts in Chicago in 16 days.
The regular position players, the ones whose names are written in pen on the Opening Day roster sheet, are going to see a spike in their workload, playing longer in games, playing more games in a row, playing more in the roles they will be playing in the regular season.
Understanding that everything at this time of year is fluid and could be turned sideways by an injury or transaction, it appears 12 of the 13 position spots are mostly secured.
Jake Rogers and Carson Kelly are the catchers. Spencer Torkelson (first base), Colt Keith (second base) and Javier Báez (shortstop)
are set in the infield. Andy Ibanez is the right-handed utility man and Zach McKinstry is the left-handed utility man.
Riley Greene, Parker Meadows, Mark Canha, Matt Vierling and Kerry Carpenter are the outfielders.
The one spot that still seems wobbly is third base. The Tigers signed free agent Gio Urshela for $1.5 million a week into camp. He’s coming off a serious injury (fractured pelvis) and still seems to be playing catch-up physically.
“We talked to him (Friday) about the next step forward for him,” Hinch said. “You have to keep in perspective who guys are. He has baseball timing and baseball rhythm. … He’s a good baseball player. He played three days in a row (Thursday, Friday and Saturday). We told him
when he comes back on March 12, the dial has to be turned up.”
If Urshela isn’t fully ready by Opening Day, if he needs extra time in either extended spring training or in Triple A (he’d have to agree to it), Ryan Kreidler would be in position to start the season in Detroit. He’s had an outstanding camp to this point and is more versatile defensively.
In that scenario, Ibanez likely would start at third base, splitting time with McKinstry. Kreidler, who bats right-handed, would be a useful tool for Hinch off the bench.
As for the pitchers, there are still battles to be fought, roles to be secured.
Start with the rotation, where only three spots seem secure right now: Tarik Skubal, who has been selected to pitch Opening Day and free-agent signees Kenta Maeda and Jack Flaherty. That leaves Matt Manning, Casey Mize and Reese Olson, all of whom are having excellent springs, fighting for two spots.
Plus, right-handers Alex Faedo and Beau Brieske are right on their heels.
“The competition for the rotation has been everything we would’ve hoped,” Hinch said. “You don’t expect guys not to do well, but you kind of expect somebody to eliminate themselves eventually, and that hasn’t happened. There’s still plenty of time for decision-making, but that’s been a welcome surprise.”
The trickle down from that competition impacts the bullpen. Faedo and Brieske, one or both, could start the season in the bullpen. Most likely, though, one of those two would start the season in the rotation at Triple-A Toledo.
Right now, if Alex Lange, Jason Foley, Shelby Miller, Will Vest and lefties Tyler Holton and Andrew Chafin are healthy, they’re heading north. If one bullpen spot goes to Faedo or Brieske, then the other is being contested for by lefty Joey