Detroit Tigers

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."

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 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:

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. 

The Detroit Tigers reached an agreement Wednesday with second baseman Josh Harrison on a contract for 2019.

Per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, Harrison will receive a one-year deal to be Detroit's starting second baseman. 

Harrison became the latest high-profile player to leave the Pittsburgh Pirates when they declined his 2019 option in October. The front office previously moved outfielder Andrew McCutchen to the San Francisco Giants and starting pitcher Gerrit Cole to the Houston Astros last offseason.

After those trades, which featured return packages headlined by prospects, Harrison told Rosenthal he preferred to play for a championship contender:

"Baseball is a business and I understand that trades are part of the business. While I love this game, the reality is that I just lost two of my closest friends in the game. Cole and Cutch were not just friends, they were the best pitcher and best position player on the Pittsburgh Pirates. Now, I am the most tenured member of the Pirates, I want to win, I want to contend, I want to win championships in 2018, 2019 and beyond."

Harrison added: "If indeed the team does not expect to contend this year or next, perhaps it would be better for all involved, that I also am traded. I want what is best for the organization that gave me a chance to be a Big Leaguer."

He wasn't dealt, but the declined the option gave him a chance to test the open market.

The 31-year-old entered the 2018 campaign with a career .281/.321/.414 triple-slash line with 44 home runs, 141 doubles and 72 stolen bases in 745 games across seven years in the majors.

He struggled last season, however, posting a .293 OBP with eight homers and three steals in 97 games. He missed over a month with a fractured hand.

His most productive season at the plate came in 2014 when he posted a career-best .837 OPS with 13 homers and 18 steals in 143 appearances.

Harrison's value is bolstered by his versatility in the field. While he's played his most games at second base, he's also garnered plenty of playing time at third and has some experience at shortstop and the corner outfield spots.

Despite his desire to play for a title contender, Harrison is going to a Tigers squad in a rebuilding phase. The team lost 98 games in 2018, but things could get better if Miguel Cabrera can stay healthy, Nicholas Castellanos continues to hit at a high level and Michael Fulmer returns to his All-Star form.

While Harrison's not an elite offensive producer, his strong performance at multiple positions around the diamond paired with well-rounded numbers at the plate and on the basepaths make him a fine addition for a team trying to improve after back-to-back losing seasons.