Detroit fills final two roster spots with pitchers, Faedo and Wentz

In olden days for managers wearing Tigers togs, spring camp’s cuts often were easier.

Not this year.

In a pitched four-man race, AJ Hinch decided two relievers — Alex Faedo and Joey Wentz — would grab the Tigers’ final two spots.

A pair of right-handed pitchers, Beau Brieske and Miguel Diaz, missed the cut, as the Tigers, wrapping up their spring schedule, got ready for a duel against the Rays at Tropicana Field, and a late-afternoon flight to Chicago ahead of Thursday’s season opener at Guaranteed Rate Field.

“Needless to say, those last decisions are grueling,” Hinch said. “And obviously, it came down to the wire. But we like the configuration of the bullpen.

“Three lefties,” he said, counting Wentz alongside Tyler Holton and Andrew Chafin. “And we like the length (multiple-innings capacity) of our bullpen going into April.”

The selection was complicated, and not only because all of the Tigers’ final four relievers — for the most part — pitched well enough to go north.

Minor-league options were a heavy factor.

Wentz had reached his limit of return trips to the minors, as had Diaz, who on Thursday is expected to be designated for assignment, meaning his time with the Tigers perhaps has expired.

Brieske will head for Toledo and for longer relief work there where the Tigers want a right-handed pitcher who had a dazzling spring (0.00 ERA, 0.37 ERA, and .071 opposing batting average in seven games, to fixate on secondary pitches behind his higher-90s fastball.

“Two things can exist at the same time,” Hinch said of Brieske, whose senddown was both a product of unusual Tigers pitching depth in 2024 — and a belief Brieske will benefit from some added polish at Toledo.

“You can do really well, have a good offseason, and pitch well in the spring and not make the team.

“We said at the beginning of camp this will be a hard team to make. He’s a perfect example of that.”

Faedo’s ticket north seemed obvious after he worked in seven Grapefruit League games and rolled up lovely numbers: 13.1 innings, nine hits, two walks, and 17 strikeouts, with a heavier fastball and his long-loved slider behaving neatly.

Faedo was a Tigers firstround draft pick in 2017 and has spent seemingly as much time in doctors’ offices as on baseball fields. Hinch considered that to not only be a triumph, but another reason Faedo’s resolve factored into his performance, and his place, on a final roster.

“Alex has been on the wrong side of this (roster) decision, often,” Hinch said;. “He’s had some unlucky circumstances.

“But he spent all offseason addressing his explosiveness (fastball), addressing the change-up, and took it right into the game. He started pitching with higher velo, with higher intent, better swing-and-miss abilities in and around the zone, and demonstrated he definitely needed to be on this team.”

Wentz definitely was on a roster bubble but survived, not only because of his options box-in.

“He took the opportunity during the offseason to address issues with his fastball,” Hinch said. “Had he not done that work, and really addressed some of the strike-throwing things and ability to throw his fastball in the zone, it may not have been a positive camp for him.

“But he did. And he performed well enough for us to want to continue that competition into the season.”

Diaz, who has been with the big-league Tigers the past two seasons, was, statistically and artistically, an easier choice.

He threw in eight Grapefruit League games, and, in overall numbers, wasn’t impressive: 5.40 ERA, 8.1 innings, 10 hits, five walks, 10 strikeouts, with a 1.80 ERA and .294 opposing batting average.

“The right-handed and left-handed mix was something that gave him a bit of a challenge,” Hinch said. “His strikes-throwing wasn’t great this spring, even though it’s been solid in his career.

“He just lost out on the competition.”