1. Interest in trading for Eduardo Rodriguez clearly wasn't as anticipated because of the term left on his contract, coupled with a player opt-out after the season. For that blame former GM Al Avila. He is the one who signed him, especially knowing E-Rod's departure would be without a compensatory draft pick if he opts out. It was an awful contract and proved difficult for current GM Scott Harris to move.
2. E-Rod's contract isn't even close to being the worst on the current club. At least he's pitching well. Javy Baez has a .592 OPS and a 0.5 WAR. In contrast, The Zach and Zack Show, (McKinstry and Short) each have 0.9 WAR.
3. The Dodgers were the one team to bite on trading for E-Rod because left-handers Clayton Kershaw and Julio Urias are free agents after the season.
4. Can you imagine if Harris "just got something" in return for Rodriguez? He undoubtedly would have been skewered for "getting nothing."
5. If 20-year-old Hao-Yu Lee, the infielder acquired in the Michael Lorenzen trade with the Phillies, were a college player, he'd just be entering his draft year, and projected as a certain first-round draft pick.
6. Lorenzen's Philadelphia debut was brilliant. The fact he has plenty of experience out of the bullpen and his contract free-and-clear after the season made him a much more desirable trade piece for clubs than E-Rod.
7. Lorenzen signed with the Tigers because he felt they had the resources to make him a better pitcher after revamping baseball operations. The Tigers did that for him. It wouldn't be a surprise if the Tigers sign Lorenzen back as a free agent.
8. After 108 games, the Tigers are 48-60 and seven games out of first place. They were 42-66 and 15.5 games back last season. Progress? Depends on how you look at it. They are still on pace to lose 90 games.
9. The fence brought in and lowered has not benefitted Spencer Torkelson. Only four of his 15 home runs have been hit at Comerica Park. He is slugging .442 on the road, just .353 at home. In '22, three of his eight HRs were at home.
10. The Tigers paid cash to acquire 22-year-old infielder Eddys Leonard from the Dodgers at the trade deadline. Obviously, he was going to be part of the squashed E-Rod deal. He was available because the Dodgers needed his spot on the 40-man roster. The Tigers played Leonards at shortstop in his debut at Toledo Thursday. He is a free swinger with good power potential, but an erratic fielder. He did play 90 games at SS for Double-A Tulsa, making 13 errors.
11. The Tigers recently released Franklin Perez, the injury-plagued pitcher acquired in the Justin Verlander trade in 2017. Perez was the Astros' fourth-best prospect at the time, ahead ahead of Teoscar Hernandez, Yasmani Grandal and Yordan Alvarez. He was the 54th-ranked prospect overall in 2017 and 35th and the Tigers' No.1 in 2018. Then…injury. A classic example of why the value of position players is more than pitchers.
12. Baltimore targeted Cardinals' right-hander Jack Flaherty at the trade deadline instead of E-Rod. He was dazzling in his first start for the O's. He is just 27 and would be a good free agent target for the Tigers this off season if E-Rod opts out.
13. The Tigers most underrated prospect is right-hander Tyler Mattison, a fourth-round pick in 2021. The soon-to-be 24-year-old has struck out 122 in 82 minor league innings, including 23 in 16 innings since being promoted to Erie. His ERA at Double-A is 0.56 and opposing hitters are batting just .098 against him. His WHIP is 0.75. He was gassing it at 97 mph Thursday in his latest outing with command.
14. It is somehow fitting that in his professional debut in the Florida Complex League this week, Max Clark went 1-for-4 with his only hit being a triple. The speedster, who ropes the balls routinely into the gaps, should be a triple machine at Comerica Park some day.
15. Matt Manning has average MLB fastball velocity, but is far below average in every other techno measurement, according to Baseball Savant. But his extension is among the very best in baseball, meaning he is releasing the ball at closer point to home plate. It goes along way in explaining his effectiveness and potential. He has also cut down on walks.
16. Riley Greene (2.3) has the best WAR among Tigers' position players despite missing a month because of injury. Second is Andy Ibanez (1.1). Says a lot, doesn't it, about the job A.J. Hinch has done as manager? He has regained his touch this season.
17. The Tigers passed on University of Florida star Wyatt Langford to select Clark 3rd overall in the draft. In the Arizona Complex League for the Rangers' affiliate, Lankford has 14 at bats with a home run, three doubles and a single. That's a .375 average and 1.275 OPS. A nice start, and undoubtedly the beginning of an endless debate.
