May 14: IF Gio Urshela reinstated from 10-day injured list: OF Akil Baddoo optioned to Triple-A Toledo
Urshela rejoins the Tigers four weeks after straining his right hamstring trying to run out a groundout. He was off to an encouraging start, batting .298 (17-for-57) with six RBIs after missing much of last season with a fractured pelvis. His return gives the Tigers some stability at third base and a veteran bat in the lineup while also restoring some lefty-righty balance on the positional roster.
“We know we’re going to get contact [at the plate] most of the time,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “We know that his defense is going to be very good at third base. He has a calming presence.”
Baddoo’s latest Major League stint ended after just three days and one at-bat: a triple Sunday against Houston. It was a cup of coffee, but it was a reward for adjustments he had made at the plate at Triple-A Toledo, and a reminder that he’s a legit option if the Tigers need an injury fill-in or an offensive jolt at another point this season.
May 13: RHP Shelby Miller (right ulnar nerve inflammation) placed on 15-day IL; RHP Beau Brieske recalled from Triple-A Toledo
Miller was one of the most valuable members of Detroit’s dominant bullpen early in the season, but he has been up-and-down lately — though rain in New York was a contributing factor in one of his worst outings. The 33-year-old has had elbow issues in his long career, including Tommy John surgery in 2017, but he has had a healthy arm in recent years. He is undergoing further evaluations, including tests.
Brieske returns to Detroit’s bullpen after being one of the last roster cuts out of Spring Training. The 26-year-old has been solid at Triple-A Toledo, allowing seven runs on 19 hits over 21 1/3 innings with 22 strikeouts. All seven runs came in just two of his 13 outings. As a multi-inning reliever, he’s versatile enough to fill Miller’s role.
“Shelby’s been kind of working through sort of intermediate soreness with his nerve,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “He was pitching through it, he was fine. He had one good outing, a nine-pitch outing, and nothing bothered him. And he had a couple outings where the stuff started to decline a little bit and he didn’t feel great coming out of it. It was nothing that was bothering him while he was throwing; it was just pre or post [game]. And as the outings were piling up for him, we’re not going to take any chances, especially when we have somebody like Beau.”
