Former Tigers reliever signs with Texas
Right-handed reliever Jacob Barnes, who had two stints in the Detroit Tigers’ bullpen in 2022, has signed a minor-league deal with the Texas Rangers. The club announced the signing on Wednesday, and also confirmed the previously reported signing of former Tigers reliever Kyle Funkhouser.
mlive.com2 ex-Tigers who ended season with Yankees hit free agency
Two former Detroit Tigers who spent the final weekend of the regular season with the New York Yankees are now free agents. Right-handers Jacob Barnes and Chi-Chi Gonzalez were called up late in the season to protect the Yankees’ pitching depth in advance of the playoffs. They never suited up in the postseason and were eligible to be free agents after being outrighted from the roster. He then landed back in the Tigers’ organization, pitching well for the Mud Hens during a few weeks in August. With no promotion to Detroit imminent, Barnes triggered an opt-out in his contract and signed a minor-league deal with the New York Yankees on Aug. 30.
mlive.comYankees swap one ex-Mud Hen for another in late-season roster shuffle
DETROIT -- Jacob Barnes’ tenure as a member of the New York Yankees lasted just one day. The former Detroit Tigers reliever pitched 1 2/3 innings without allowing a run in the Yankees’ 8-0 victory over Baltimore on Saturday afternoon. After passing through waivers unclaimed, Barnes signed with the Seattle Mariners and spent a few days on the active roster without making an appearance before being waived again. With no promotion to Detroit imminent, Barnes triggered an opt-out in his contract and signed a minor-league deal with the New York Yankees on Aug. 30. It wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see him back in Lakeland next spring on a minor-league deal.
mlive.comFormer Tigers reliever joins playoff-bound Yankees
DETROIT -- Former Detroit Tigers reliever Jacob Barnes will end his busy 2022 season as a member of the New York Yankees. The 32-year-old right-hander made the Tigers’ Opening Day roster and pitched out of the pen until being designated for assignment in June. He then landed back in the Tigers’ organization, pitching well for the Mud Hens during a few weeks in August. With no promotion to Detroit imminent, Barnes triggered an opt-out in his contract and signed a minor-league deal with the New York Yankees on Aug. 30. The Yankees’ will be Barnes’ eighth Major League team since he debuted with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2016.
mlive.comTigers bring back 2 former relievers, including lefty Daniel Norris
Right-handed reliever Jacob Barnes, who pitched for the Tigers earlier this year, and lefty Daniel Norris, who was a Tiger from 2015-2021, are expected to report to Triple-A Toledo. The Tigers confirmed both moves on Tuesday, as well as the previously reported signing of veteran starter Chi Chi Gonzalez. The moves were made to stock up on arms in advance of the Aug. 2 trade deadline. The Tigers have several relievers on the trading block, including veterans Michael Fulmer and Andrew Chafin. MLB trade deadline: 5 Tigers most likely to be dealt in next weekNorris, 29, was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers at last year’s trade deadline for prospect Reese Olson.
mlive.comTigers reliever DFA’d last week signs with Mariners
The veteran reliever, who became a free agent after the Tigers designated him for assignment last week, has signed a minor-league deal with the Seattle Mariners. The 32-year-old right-hander got off to a strong start with this Tigers in 2022 but his ERA ballooned after a few rough outings. Barnes cleared waivers after being DFA’d and was free to sign with any team. Hutchison replaced Barnes on the roster and made two starts before being DFA’d for the second time this season. He cleared waivers and can now choose whether to re-sign with the Tigers and return to Triple-A Toledo or seek out other options.
mlive.comTigers part ways with veteran reliever amid flurry of moves after Monday’s loss
Additionally, the Tigers will activate left-handed pitcher Tyler Alexander from the injured list. The Tigers had originally thought that Eduardo Rodriguez might be ready to come off the injured list and start Tuesday’s game. Alexander, 27, was working as a starter when he was placed on the injured list with an elbow strain on May 2. TIGERS’ 40-MAN ROSTER (38)Players in bold are on the active rosterLeft-handed pitchers (6): Tyler Alexander, Andrew Chafin, Sam Howard, Tarik Skubal, Gregory Soto, Joey Wentz. Left-handed pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez does not earn a salary or count against the 40-man roster while on the restricted list.
mlive.comWhat’s the best bullpen in baseball? Here’s what Tigers’ relievers have to say.
As Detroit Tigers reliever Michael Fulmer starts running through the pros and cons of various American League facilities, teammate Alex Lange walks by. There’s not much to do down there besides hydrate.”Other traits of a good bullpen? We don’t have the best line of sight.”Tropicana Field doesn’t even really have a bullpen, but it does have a great line of sight. Tampa Bay and Oakland are the last two bullpen holdouts, largely because of stadium design rather than any aesthetic choice. Usually, for lack of a better way to say it, they’re more uptight and anxious in the dugout.
mlive.comAfter bounce-back game, Tigers reliever back in his hometown dome
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- You want a local angle for this weekend’s series between the Detroit Tigers and Tampa Bay Rays? Tigers reliever Jacob Barnes went to high school so close to Tropicana Field that he could practically walk. But erasing bad outings from one’s memory and bouncing back with a good one is just part of life as a reliever. Two days later, Hinch didn’t hesitate to put Barnes in an important situation: The seventh inning with the Tigers up 3-0. “It’s a long season, so unfortunately (bad) outings happen.
mlive.comTarik Skubal strikes out 11 as Tigers finish sweep of Orioles
DETROIT -- Tarik Skubal struck out 11 in six dominant innings as the Detroit Tigers completed a three-game sweep of the Baltimore Orioles with a 5-1 victory Sunday afternoon at Comerica Park. The Tigers (12-23) had entered the weekend having lost 16 of 19, but turned things around against the Orioles (14-21), who had baseball’s worst record a year ago. Skubal was nearly flawless in his 100-pitch performance, allowing just three hits and two walks (both of which came in his final inning). Reyes, who was playing in his first game after a three-week stint on the injured list, suffered a right quad strain while rounding second base in the second inning. Miguel Cabrera’s home run was the 505th of his career, passing Orioles great Eddie Murray for 27th place on the all-time list.
mlive.comMiguel Cabrera powers Tigers to narrow win over Orioles
DETROIT -- Miguel Cabrera doubled and homered and Eduardo Rodriguez pitched almost seven shutout innings as the Detroit Tigers beat the Baltimore Orioles 4-2 Friday night at Comerica Park. His two-out double in the third inning scored Javier Baez to give the Tigers the lead. pic.twitter.com/GmHivviA70 — Detroit Tigers (@tigers) May 14, 2022Rodriguez earned his first win as a Tiger in his seventh start this season. But things haven’t been easy for the Tigers this year, and Friday the 13th wasn’t going to be easy, either. Box scoreUp nextThe Tigers and Orioles meet again on Saturday at 4:10 p.m. Tigers right-hander Michael Pineda (1-2, 3.43 ERA) will face Baltimore lefty Bruce Zimmermann (2-1, 2.67).
mlive.comTigers reliever retroactively given a W after scoring change
HOUSTON -- Jacob Barnes has now been the pitcher of record in nearly half the Detroit Tigers’ win this season. Reliever Alex Lange was originally credited with the win in the Tigers’ 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates in Game 1 of the doubleheader. 🚨SCORING CHANGE 36🚨5/4 @Pirates at @TigersThe winning pitcher is now Jacob Barnes. (It’s all tracked by the supremely helpful Scoring Change Twitter account). Lange, who made his MLB debut last season, just lost half his career wins with the scoring change.
mlive.comShould Tigers promote someone else to replace Javier Baez? 6 takeaways from a busy weekend
DETROIT -- The Detroit Tigers’ first road trip of the season ended with a rainout in Kansas City that probably could have been played if the Royals had insisted on being cruel. Willi Castro drove down from Des Moines, Iowa, where the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens were playing, and was activated on Sunday. Going from Baez to Harold Castro (or Willi Castro) is a huge drop-off offensively and defensively. The Tigers at least considered bringing Ryan Kreidler to the big leagues before ultimately settling on promoting Willi Castro. Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tyler Alexander throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Tuesday, April 12, 2022, in Detroit.
mlive.comSpencer Torkelson hits go-ahead bomb as Tigers beat Royals again
-- Rookie first baseman Spencer Torkelson hit a mammoth go-ahead home run in the seventh inning to lead the Detroit Tigers to a 2-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Friday night at Kauffman Stadium. Torkelson’s 432-foot blast landed above the left-field bullpen, scored Miguel Cabrera and ruined an otherwise outstanding night by Royals starting pitcher Brad Keller. pic.twitter.com/NV3YBSTHUN — Detroit Tigers (@tigers) April 16, 2022Keller was locked in an early duel with Tigers starter Tarik Skubal, who retired the first 11 batters he faced and allowed only one unearned run in 5 2/3 innings. The Tigers placed starting pitcher Casey Mize on the 10-day injured list before the game and activated outfielder Daz Cameron from the taxi squad. Box scoreUp nextThe Tigers (4-4) and Royals (2-5) meet for Game 3 of their four-game series on Saturday at 4:10 p.m. at Kauffman Stadium.
mlive.comChange of plans: Originally sent to minors, 2 Tigers pitchers relish an Opening Day in Detroit
DETROIT -- When Elvin Rodriguez called his family in the Dominican Republic to let them know he had made the Detroit Tigers’ big-league roster, they were naturally quite thrilled. Like Rodriguez, Jacob Barnes was originally reassigned to minor-league camp and told to start getting his family ready for a stint in Toledo. In fact, this is his sixth consecutive Opening Day on a big-league roster. When the Tigers told Barnes he was going to Toledo, they intended it as a courtesy. “Opening Day never gets old, but this one was definitely the most unique.”Whether this is the first and only Opening Day or the first of many to come, Rodriguez will also have an interesting story to tell about how he got here.
mlive.comTigers tell 3 non-roster relievers they’ve made Opening Day roster
TAMPA, Fla. -- The Detroit TIgers have given good news to three non-roster players. The moves didn’t completely clear up the final roster, however, as Hinch also hinted at unreported injuries that could affect the final roster. The final decision could conceivably come down to Rodriguez or Castro, depending on whether the Tigers want to have 14 or 15 pitchers on the initial 28-man roster. Two of the three non-roster players have ties to the Tigers organization before this spring. Hutchison, a 31-year-old native of Lakeland, made nine appearances for the Tigers in 2021, including two starts.
mlive.comJacob Barnes was packed and ready for Toledo. Then the Tigers told him to stick around.
LAKELAND, Fla. -- Jacob Barnes and his wife were packed and ready to head to Toledo to prepare for the start of the Mud Hens’ season. * Left-handed reliever Andrew Chafin tweaked his groin earlier this week and is now questionable to start the season. Barnes said he’s grateful for an understanding landlord in Toledo and a supportive wife, who is pregnant with their second child. “It’s good all the way around.”***The Tigers also optioned infielder Isaac Paredes to Toledo as part of Friday’s transactions. Six pitchers left for four spots: Jason Foley, Rony Garcia, Will Vest, Drew Hutchison, Jacob Barnes, Chase Anderson.
mlive.comTigers bring back veteran reliever cut just 4 days ago
LAKELAND, Fla. -- The Detroit Tigers have optioned infielder Isaac Paredes to Triple-A Toledo, leaving just two infielders competing for a reserve spot. RELATED: Tigers’ final Opening Day roster projection -- and a bonus prediction of their roster on May 2Paredes, 23, was competing for a utility role against Harold Castro and Willi Castro this spring. But he’s a good player and he has a lot of things he can bring to a winning club. Barnes, who turns 32 next month, signed a minor-league deal with the Tigers just before the lockout in December. Seven players competing for five spots: catcher Dustin Garneau; infielders Harold Castro, Willi Castro and Spencer Torkelson; and outfielders Riley Greene, Derek Hill and Victor Reyes.
mlive.comTigers cut veteran reliever as bullpen continues to take shape
LAKELAND, Fla. -- The Detroit Tigers reassigned veteran reliever Jacob Barnes to minor-league camp after Monday’s game against the New York Yankees. It was the latest move on a busy day of cuts that has brought clarity to the Tigers’ bullpen. They are Joe Jimenez, Jason Foley, Rony Garcia, Will Vest,, Drew Hutchison and Chase Anderson. Vest, Hutchison and Anderson are all non-roster invitees. Cut one or two from this list: Joe Jimenez, Jason Foley, Rony Garcia, Will Vest, Drew Hutchison, Chase Anderson.
mlive.comTigers sign 2 veteran pitchers to minor-league deals as spring training opens
LAKELAND, Fla. -- The Detroit Tigers announced the signing of two veteran pitchers to minor-league contracts on Monday, the first day of spring training. The Tigers have added right-handers Drew Hutchison, 31, and Ramon Rosso, 25. Hutchison, a native of Lakeland who now lives in the Tampa area, made nine appearances for the Tigers in 2021, including two starts. TIGERS’ SPRING TRAINING ROSTER (non-roster invitees italicized)Left-handed pitchers (6): Tyler Alexander, Miguel Del Pozo, Eduardo Rodriguez, Tarik Skubal, Gregory Soto, Joey Wentz. Notable Tigers’ minor-league signings this winter...RHP Drew Hutchison (re-signed)RHP Ramon RossoRHP Miguel DiazRHP Carlos SanabriaINF Jack LopezC Chris RabagoRHP Luis CastilloINF Luis CarpioRHP Gerson Moreno (re-signed)RHP Ricardo Pinto (re-signed)RHP Markus SolbachRHP Jacob BarnesINF Josh Lester (re-signed)
mlive.comTigers invite 17 non-roster players to spring training
LAKELAND, Fla. -- The Detroit Tigers have invited 17 non-roster players to join their big-league crew when spring training officially opens Monday at the club’s Tiger Town facility. As expected, that includes top prospects Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson, who will compete for jobs on the Opening Day roster this spring. All players, except those coming from outside the country who might have visa issues, are expected to report to camp on Sunday. Two players -- right-handed pitcher Spencer Turnbull and catcher Jake Rogers -- are expected to miss all or most of the 2022 season with injury. TIGERS’ 40-MAN ROSTER (38)Left-handed pitchers (6): Tyler Alexander, Miguel Del Pozo, Eduardo Rodriguez, Tarik Skubal, Gregory Soto, Joey Wentz.
mlive.comTigers sign 2 veteran pitchers to minor-league deals
The Detroit Tigers have signed veteran right-handed reliever Jacob Barnes to a minor-league contract and invited him to spring training. Barnes, 31, pitched for the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Mets in 2021, posting a 6.28 ERA in 28 2/3 innings. The Florida native has pitched for five teams over six big-league seasons since being drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers out of Florida Gulf Coast University in 2011. The Tigers also signed right-handed pitcher Markus Solbach last week. However players who are not on the 40-man rosters -- and thus not represented by the union -- can continue to sign minor-league deals during the lockout.
mlive.comHot deals brewing at 7-Eleven for National Coffee Day
National Coffee Day is Wednesday, Sept. 29, and that means free coffee from your favorite brewhouses, including 7-Eleven – the creator of on-the-go coffee. The convenience retailer is offering one free, any size hot coffee to 7Rewards loyalty members with the purchase of a fresh baked good in store. Use the 7Now app to get a free extra-large hot coffee with any purchase; get free delivery with code FREE4U. “Our 7-Eleven customers are constantly on-the-go, so we’re elated to provide two different National Coffee Day deals to ensure they can savor their favorite hot coffee no matter where they are on September 29,” said Jacob Barnes, 7-Eleven proprietary beverages senior product director. Its menu includes espresso, lattes, cappuccinos, nitro cold brew and more along with a variety of syrups, toppings and creamers.
mlive.comDeGrom to get MRI for side issue after Mets win 5th straight
Mets ace Jacob deGrom was pulled after five innings with right side tightness in his return from an injury to a similar area, but the bullpen closed out a four-hitter as New York beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-2 for its fifth straight win.
Ga. Southern routs La. Tech 38-3 in New Orleans Bowl
(AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)NEW ORLEANS – Shai Werts had three touchdown runs and threw a 65-yard scoring pass to help Georgia Southern beat Louisiana Tech 38-3 in the New Orleans Bowl on Wednesday. Georgia Southern came up with four interceptions — including two near its own goal line in the first quarter. Georgia Southern (8-5), which came in averaging 262 yards rushing, finished with 322 against Louisiana Tech (5-5). The Bulldogs were trying to win a bowl for the seventh straight season, but could not overcome three interceptions thrown by Allen inside the Georgia Southern 30 in the first half. Georgia Southern: Hosts Gardner-Webb on Sept. 4.
Astros outlast Angels 6-5 in 11; Ohtani has arm discomfort
Before those two dramatic extra innings, Ohtani started the day by issuing five walks and getting only five outs before getting pulled from his second rough start of the season. That first inning was outstanding, said Angels manager Joe Maddon, who apparently wasn't aware Ohtani was headed for an MRI during his postgame interview. Any sustained absence would be a double blow to the struggling Angels, who use Ohtani as their designated hitter on most days between his pitching starts. After a strong eight-pitch first inning, Ohtani walked his first three batters of the second. UP NEXTAstros: Baker hasn't said who will start Tuesday night when the Astros open a three-game series at Arizona.
It's 7-Eleven Day, which means free Slurpees for all
Today's the day the convenience store chain offers a free small Slurpee to any customer who walks through its doors, no strings attached. The Slurpee's biggest fans aren't AmericanThey're American-made, but no one knocks back Slurpees quite as fervently as Canadians. The people of Winnipeg love the slush so much they voted to rename a road "Slurpee Way." Perhaps, Johnson said, 7-Eleven will sub the artificially flavored syrups for a fruit-based puree in an appeal to health nuts. "For older Slurpers, Slurpee drinks bring back nostalgic memories of school's out, fun-in-the-sun summers and sharing with family," he said.