Detroit Tigers

Save for one inconvenient truth, the Detroit Tigers' rebuild is progressing well.

Events such as trades of Justin Verlander, J.D. Martinez and Justin Upton in 2017 and the drafting of Casey Mize in 2018 have helped transform the club's farm system from one of Major League Baseball's worst into one of its best.

Further trades of Nicholas Castellanos, Shane Greene and possibly Matthew Boyd ahead of this year's July 31 deadline should outfit Detroit's system with even more talent. And after 2020, there will be only one big-money contract left on the club's books.

But therein lies said inconvenient truth: Miguel Cabrera isn't going anywhere.

Or so it would seem safe to assume. While nobody from the Tigers—who are on track to follow 98-loss seasons in 2017 and 2018 with 111 losses this year—is insisting that Cabrera is staying put, that there hasn't even been speculation to the contrary reflects where the 11-time All-Star and two-time American League MVP's trade value is.

After playing in only 168 games over the last two seasons because of injuries, the 36-year-old has at least been "healthy" enough to play in 88 games in 2019. Those quotations are necessary, however, because he's playing through a chronic knee condition that has effectively ended his career as a first baseman.

Cabrera is strictly a designated "hitter" now. But once again, quotations are necessary because he's working on a career-low .718 OPS with only five homers.

Cabrera's .283 batting average and .346 on-base percentage confirm that he still at least has the fundamentals of an all-time great knack for hitting. He's also been clutch with a .438 average with runners in scoring position.

Trouble is, he just can't hit for power anymore.

The right-handed swinger's fly balls are lacking in exit velocity (88.6 mph) and frequency to his pull side. Factor in his utter lack of speed to leg out doubles and triples, and it's no accident that his .089 ISO (isolated power) is fourth-worst among qualified hitters.

It's going to take some time for Cabrera to hit the 30 homers he needs to join the hallowed 500 home run club. And it's a good thing he already boasts enough career wins above replacement to qualify as a Hall of Fame-caliber first baseman, because he's probably only going backward in that category.

Meanwhile, Cabrera isn't getting any cheaper. At the outset of 2019, the eight-year, $248 million contract extension he signed in March 2014 still had five years and $154 million remaining on it.

The only hypothetical situation in which the Tigers can trade Cabrera involves them swallowing a huge portion of his remaining contract and getting little or nothing of value back in return. If the choice is between that and simply continuing to pay the man, the latter might be the better option.

Of course, none of this is Cabrera's fault. He hit all the right notes in defense of both himself and other big-money players to Bob Nightengale of USA Today in March:

"I don't know why people get mad at us. They don't like it when we get money. Why weren't people mad the first five years when I wasn't getting paid?

"People can say I'm not worth this contract. They can say whatever they want, really. But they're not going to hurt my feelings.

"I'm not going to apologize. Why should anyone be sorry? I don't see any teams losing money. They all have it."

Indeed, all Cabrera is guilty of is being human.

First, in taking a huge sum of money that was offered. Second, in succumbing to the effects of his age and his odometer, which has racked up 2,407 regular and postseason games (he's right to feel unappreciated about that, too) since he debuted with the Florida Marlins in 2003. Third, in continuing to cash his checks anyway because, well, why wouldn't he?

It's fair enough if Cabrera considers his current salary to be back pay for what he did in his prime. He averaged a .976 OPS and 35 homers per year between 2004 and 2013. Of those seasons, the last two netted him AL MVPs by way of the first Triple Crown season since 1967 and an even better season (see here, here and here) a year later.

Yet as brilliant as Cabrera's 2013 season was, the back end of it was marred by a groin tear which eventually required surgery. Given that he was already on the wrong side of 30, it didn't take a monumental leap of logic to conclude that probably wouldn't be his last serious health issue.

To boot, pressure on the Tigers—specifically former general manager Dave Dombrowski and late owner Mike Ilitch—to lock Cabrera up was virtually nonexistent. He was already signed to a $153.3 million contract that had two years and $44 million left on it. The deal they signed him to in 2014 wouldn't officially begin in 2016.

The Tigers at least got a vintage season (.956 OPS and 38 homers) out of Cabrera that year. His $248 million deal has otherwise played out as disappointingly as any skeptic could have imagined, and Detroit's contention window hasn't survived in spite of it.

After going at least as far as the American League Championship Series in 2011, 2012 (when they went to the World Series) and 2013, the Tigers won only 90 games and got swept out of the American League Division Series in 2014. Then came a 2015 season marked by 87 losses and Dombrowski's ouster, followed by a modest recovery to 86 wins in 2016.

And then, finally, came 2017. The combination of Ilitch's death and poor returns from an aging and expensive roster gave GM Al Avila little choice but to finally pivot to a rebuild.

The Tigers might have begun rebuilding earlier with a deal of none other than Cabrera. According to Jon Morosi of MLB.com, at least one team was interested in him after 2016:

#Astros will pursue Miguel Cabrera or Edwin Encarnacion. Payroll increase is coming. They have only two players signed beyond 2017. @MLB

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 9, 2016

It's hard not to wonder about how the Tigers trading Cabrera to the Astros might have altered baseball history. Maybe the Astros are the fallen powerhouse with an immovable albatross right now. Meanwhile, maybe the Tigers are a rising power built around a core of exciting homegrown talent.

In this reality, however, Cabrera's journey with the Tigers can probably only end well if he's still capable of contributing to the contender that's currently under construction.

Perhaps this isn't entirely out of the question. For their part, the Tigers will soon be graduating prospects to the majors and buying any other parts they might need. For his part, Cabrera might get a second wind from his new duties as an everyday DH. It's conceivable that these two things will combine to form something special by 2023.

That's the happiest ending the Tigers can hope for, anyway. In the meantime, all they can do is keep playing Cabrera and revel in whatever reminders of the good ol' days he provides.

                    

Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.

The Detroit Tigers announced an agreement Friday with general manager Al Avila on a multiyear contract extension.

Tigers chairman Christopher Ilitch released a statement about the new deal:

"It's clear to anyone that follows Tigers baseball that our organization is undergoing a significant transformation. I've been impressed with Al's leadership and focus, and the steadfast way he has led our baseball operations since becoming general manager. Al has methodically implemented his plan, and the execution of that plan has demonstrated progress and results in scouting, drafting, player development and analytics. I am especially pleased with the progress we have made in securing a stable of talented prospects which bodes well for our future. Al has a proven track record in this game, and his nearly three decades of experience is paying dividends in this rebuilding phase."

Avila, who also serves as the club's executive vice president of baseball operations, was promoted to his roles in August 2015 after 13 years as assistant general manager to Dave Dombrowski.

Detroit posted an 86-75 record in 2016, his first full season in charge, but has gone 64-98 in each of the past two years. The team owns the third-worst mark in baseball at 28-54 in 2019.

The Tigers are in the midst of a massive rebuilding effort that started in earnest with the trade of ace Justin Verlander to the Houston Astros in August 2017.

It's clear the ownership group is pleased with the direction of those efforts despite the continued struggles at the major league level.

Baseball Prospectus ranked the Tigers' prospects 25th in March 2017. Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter placed them 11th following the 2019 MLB draft last month. That's a significant improvement in just over two years.

Detroit's farm system is headlined by starting pitcher Casey Mize, the first pick in the 2018 draft and the No. 2 overall prospect in MLB.com's rankings. Pitchers Matt Manning (No. 32) and Franklin Perez (No. 62) as well as infielder Isaac Paredes (No. 83) also cracked the top 100.

The success of the Astros, who won the World Series in 2017 after losing 106 or more games three straight times from 2011 through 2013, has inspired some organizations to tear down their rosters and lose a bunch of games over extended periods to try to become championship contenders in the future.

Detroit is among the teams attempting total rebuilds, and Aliva's extension illustrates ownership believes the effort is trending in the right direction.

Detroit Tigers star Miguel Cabrera has reportedly been sidetracked by another injury. Per the Detroit News' Chris McCosky, the first baseman will get an MRI on his right knee Saturday after he left Friday night's 8-2 win over the Atlanta Braves at SunTrust Park because of soreness. 

"I felt it at the plate the last three games," Cabrera said, according to McCosky. "I didn't use my legs too much. It's hard because I want to be on the field. I want to be able to hit and play defense and help the team win. We'll see how I feel tomorrow."

The 36-year-old two-time MVP was robbed of most of 2018 when he underwent season-ending biceps surgery in mid-June. This campaign got off to a rough start. He was hit by a pitch in the Tigers' third game of the year against the Toronto Blue Jays on March 30. 

The team announced shortly after Cabrera left the contest that he had a right-hand contusion, but X-rays were negative. Since then, however, he has only managed to hit two home runs, despite being known throughout his 17-season career for his power.

In early May, Cabrera downplayed his lowered production by citing the lack of firepower in Detroit's lineup. 

"You know who's hitting behind me right now?" he said, according to Chris Nelsen for the Detroit Free Press. "That's a big difference, too. How am I going to hit 40 home runs? In the past, I got Prince Fielder, Victor Martinez, Jhonny Peralta. I got a big bat behind me. You see the way guys pitch me [now]? That explains everything."

That said, his recent struggle could be at least in part attributed to his knee.

The 2012 American League Triple Crown winner has a .394 career batting average as well as 467 home runs. This season, Cabrera has appeared in 53 games, producing a .288 batting average with 55 hits, 22 RBI and just the two homers. 

In Cabrera's place, the Tigers could turn to utility man Niko Goodrum. The 27-year-old has played 13 of his 49 games at first base this season.

The Tigers are 22-32 and sitting at fourth in the AL Central.    

Detroit Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire told TMZ Sports that his team "could use" starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel and closer Craig Kimbrel, who are both still unsigned two months into the season.

The answer was in response to a question regarding why Gardenhire thought the duo hadn't found teams yet.

Detroit is 19-32 and second-to-last in the American League Central, so adding the two former All-Stars would improve the franchise.

Keuchel, the 2015 American League Cy Young winner, went 12-11 with a 3.74 ERA and 153 strikeouts last year for the Houston Astros. Kimbrel went 5-1 with 42 saves and a 2.74 ERA with the World Series champion Boston Red Sox.

However, the team is also in rebuilding mode. Signing the duo may not be in line with what Detroit is trying to accomplish at the moment.

Detroit is 19-32 and second-to-last in the American League Central. Per Baseball Prospectus, Detroit's Opening Day payroll was $115,673,500, 10th-lowest in the league.

Nearly half of that money was earmarked for two players who have encountered struggles of late: first baseman Miguel Cabrera ($30 million salary) and starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann ($25 million).

Cabrera, an 11-time All-Star, signed an eight-year, $243 million deal before the 2014 season that extends through at least 2023. He has a .742 OPS this year, which is the second-lowest mark of his career.

Zimmermann, a two-time All-Star who finished top seven in the National League Cy Young voting twice with the Washington Nationals, is 0-4 with a 5.93 ERA. He is on the injured list with a right elbow sprain.

Zimmermann's deal comes off the books after 2020, and the players with the three highest salaries after the top two (Nicholas Castellanos, Tyson Ross and Jordy Mercer) are free agents this offseason.

The bottom line is the Tigers will have some wiggle room in the near future to sign free agents as they look forward to the arrivals of an exciting crop of starting pitchers on the farm that includes 2018 No. 1 overall draft pick Casey Mize.

Until then, however, Detroit will likely ride out the rebuilding storm with the players it has, meaning Keuchel and Kimbrel will have to look elsewhere for work.

Detroit Tigers fan Ely Hydes was the lucky one to catch Albert Pujols' home run that counted as his 2,000th career RBI in Thursday's game at Comerica Park, but as Hydes tells it, nobody told the Tigers that you catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar. 

In an interview with Kyle Bogenschutz of Detroit's 97.1 FM (h/t Aleanna Siacon of the Detroit Free Press, via USA Today), Hydes detailed how poorly he felt the Tigers organization handled the situation after he caught the historic ball.    

"Honestly, if they were just cool about it, I would've just given them the ball," the 33-year-old Tigers fan said. "I don't want money off of this; I was offered $5,000 and $10,000 as I walked out of the stadium, I swear to God. ... I just couldn't take being treated like a garbage bag for catching a baseball."

What happens when the first ball you get as a fan happens to be a pretty big deal for the player who hit it? @IamTrevorT is on the case! #GreatGrabBud pic.twitter.com/1U7BCAUS50

— FanDuel Sports Network Detroit (@FanDuelSN_DET) May 9, 2019

Hydes said representatives told him that if he left Comerica Park, then MLB could not authenticate the ball, rendering it worth nothing. He did not care, and the ball's home—at least temporarily—is on Hydes' coffee table. 

There are positive vibes between Hydes and Pujols, however, as the Los Angeles Angels first baseman stuck up for him, and according to Siacon, Hydes thanked the player. 

Pujols on the fan who caught it "I think he was giving a little a hard time and I told the guys just leave it, just let him have it. He can have a great piece of history with him, when he look at the ball he can remember himself of this game, I don't fight about it."

— Jeff Riger (@riger1984) May 9, 2019

Pujols "I don't play this game so I can pay fans so they can give me, you know... He can have that piece of history, its for the fans that we play for too. He has the right to keep it, the ball went in the stands so I would never fight anybody to give anything back"

— Jeff Riger (@riger1984) May 9, 2019

Pujols is the third player in MLB history to have at least 3,000 hits, 600 home runs and 2,000 RBI, according to Dayn Perry of CBS Sports.

Detroit Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera has 466 career home runs, 10 seasons with 30 or more homers, two American League MVPs, a Triple Crown and a mere one long ball in 121 at-bats this year.

Despite Cabrera's suggestion otherwise, manager Ron Gardenhire doesn't think the power shortage is because of lackluster players behind him in the lineup.

"It is what it is," Gardenhire said Sunday when discussing the lack of home runs and Cabrera's implication he doesn't have enough protection in the order, per Chris Nelsen of the Detroit Free Press (h/t USA Today).

"You can put it off wherever you want to put it off. He just hasn't hit home runs yet. He's a Hall of Famer; I'm not going to sit here and criticize a Hall of Famer. But that statement is kind of a little crazy. We've had all kinds of people (hitting behind Cabrera)."

Nelsen noted Cabrera blamed the downgrade in his protection for the lack of power in part on Saturday.

"You know Prince Fielder? You know who's hitting behind me right now? That's a big difference, too. How am I going to hit 40 home runs? In the past, I got Prince Fielder, Victor Martinez, Jhonny Peralta. I got a big bat behind me. You see the way guys pitch me? That explains everything."

While there is no questioning Cabrera's status as one of the best players of his generation, he is also coming off an injury-shortened 2018 campaign that saw him hit three home runs in 38 games.

The 36-year-old is surely past his prime (he had just 16 homers in 2017) and isn't the same offensive force he once was when he was hitting behind the likes of Fielder and others.

Still, he has a point that players such as Niko Goodrum and Ronny Rodriguez—who hit fourth and fifth behind him during Sunday's victory over the Kansas City Royals—don't strike the same fear in opposing pitchers as those other names. That allows opponents to pitch around Cabrera and attack other areas in the lineup, which is one reason the Tigers are just 15-16.

He can at least take solace in the fact that he is producing in other ways and slashing a solid .298/.363/.372. If he continues to hit for a high average and eventually finds his power stroke, he can ensure these comments from both himself and his manager are a thing of the past as the Tigers battle in the American League Central.

As many as 25 players in the Detroit Tigers' minor league system, including current big-leaguer Nicholas Castellanos, may have been exposed to PFAS contaminants. 

According to Keith Matheny of the Detroit Free Press (h/t USA Today), Tim and Jill Osbeck have served as a host family for members of the Tigers' Single-A affiliate, the West Michigan Whitecaps, since 2010.

However, they found out in November 2017 the water in their home in Rockford, Michigan, "tested at more than 250 times the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's lifetime health advisory limit for PFOS and PFOA in drinking water, a level above which a lifetime of exposure could lead to health problems."

Matheny explained there is not much research on the health effects for humans when exposed to the compounds, but they have been linked to issues such as cancer, liver disease and high cholesterol, among others.

The contamination occurred through "a groundwater plume leaching out of a long-closed landfill near [the Osbecks'] property," per Matheny. The Wolverine Worldwide shoe factory closed in 2009 and was demolished in 2010 but used to use a gravel mining operation in the area during the 1950s and 1960s as a way of disposing of the waste that contained PFAS.

Matheny noted the Osbeck family is part of a class-action lawsuit that was filed against Wolverine Worldwide.

While the entire list of players who could have been exposed through tap water or eating food that was cooked with the water at the residence was not provided to Matheny, Castellanos, who has been with the Tigers since 2013, stands out.

He has appeared in 25 games this season and is slashing .269/.325/.442 with two home runs and eight RBI.

Detroit Tigers prospect Casey Mize has made an easy transition to Double-A.

In his first game since being promoted from Single-A, the pitcher threw a no-hitter with only a walk and a hit batter allowed during his nine innings pitched, according to Jason Beck of MLB.com. Perhaps just as impressive, he only needed 98 pitches to finish the complete game.

Mize was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 MLB draft out of Auburn.

This continues an impressive trend for the Erie Seawolves, as Alex Faedo posted a no-hitter for the team last week, per MLB Pipeline. The franchise had only two no-hitters in its history before this stretch.

Mize's performance was also necessary, as Erie only escaped with a 1-0 victory.

The fielders also did their jobs, with center fielder Derek Hill making a great play early on:

As top @Tigers prospect Casey Mize continues to cruise in his @erie_seawolves debut, his outfielders are doing their part.

This gem courtesy of @derekhill27: https://t.co/6IKCzl4EwM pic.twitter.com/XAuu4PGBqG

— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) April 29, 2019

Still, Mize deserves credit for mowing down the Altoona Curve, an affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The young pitcher will turn 22 years old on Wednesday but seems ready to quickly move through the organization. After limited action following his college baseball season in 2018, he has been on fire in 2019, posting a 0.35 ERA in four starts for the Single-A Lakeland Flying Tigers.

He also posted 25 strikeouts and only one walk in this time before earning a promotion.

After dominating in his first outing at the next level, it might not be long before he moves up once again.

Detroit Tigers star Miguel Cabrera left Saturday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays with a right-hand contusion after being hit by a pitch thrown by Aaron Sanchez in the sixth inning.

The team later announced that X-rays came back negative.

After going 0-for-7 through the first two games of the season, Cabrera was 2-for-2 on the day prior to getting beaned. Utility man Niko Goodrum shifted over to first base following the injury.

Cabrera is coming off a lost season where a ruptured biceps tendon ended his year in June. He also dealt with hip, back and hamstring issues while being held to just 38 appearances.

It was the third time in four years he missed at least 30 games of a season.

The recent injuries also hurt his status as a premier player, as he failed to earn an All-Star selection in either of the past two seasons after playing in the game 11 times prior to that in his career. He also broke his run of earning MVP votes in his first 14 major league seasons.

Considering Cabrera is making $30 million in 2019, the Tigers will hope he can spend more time on the field than off it.

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Michael Fulmer received bad news just over one week before the start of the 2019 regular season. 

The team announced Tuesday that Tommy John surgery has been recommended for Fulmer after he experienced right elbow soreness following a bullpen session. 

This news comes after MLB.com's Jason Beck reported Monday that Fulmer was unlikely to break camp with the team due to swelling in his surgically repaired right knee. 

The right-hander underwent elbow surgery in September 2017 and had elbow soreness during spring training in 2018. He also spent time on the injured list last year with a strained left oblique.

After winning the American League Rookie of the Year award in 2016, Fulmer made his first All-Star team in 2017. He started the year strong by going 9-6 with a 3.19 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP in his first 17 starts before he struggled in the second half, going 1-6 with a 5.33 ERA prior to season-ending surgery.

His struggles carried over into 2018, as he went 3-12 with a 4.69 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP in 24 starts.

Fulmer entered the season as one of Detroit's top starters, so his absence will leave a hole in the rotation. Jordan Zimmermann is a two-time All-Star, but he has not been the same pitcher in Detroit as he was with Washington.

The Tigers added a pair of veterans in Tyson Ross and Matt Moore during the offseason to provide depth. Now, they will be asked to help Zimmermann carry the rotation in Fulmer's stead.