LAKELAND, Fla. — Seems the Tigers have been keen to herald an out of doors bat at third base in spite of everything.
Detroit agreed to a one-year deal price $1.5 million with infielder Gio Urshela on Thursday, a group supply confirmed to The Athletic.
Urshela fills an apparent want for the Tigers: an skilled right-handed hitter who can play third base and in addition transfer across the infield. Such a necessity was obvious all offseason and have become extra clear within the early days of spring coaching.
Urshela makes apparent sense within the Tigers’ platoon-heavy lineup. The suitable-handed batter is a profession .290 hitter towards left-handed pitching and hit .373 in 51 at-bats towards lefties final season. He has comparatively low stroll charges (4.4 p.c final yr) but in addition has plus contact expertise.
Urshela, 32, is coming off a yr wherein he hit .299 however was price solely 0.4 fWAR in 62 video games with the Angels. He missed a lot of the season with a fractured pelvis however hit .285 with 13 residence runs and was price 2.4 fWAR in 2022. He has been a great defender at third base all through his profession and was price plus-6 defensive runs saved on the sizzling nook final season. He additionally has expertise taking part in shortstop, second base and first base.
Previous to signing Urshela, Matt Vierling was projected to start out at third for the Tigers, maybe sharing the position with Andy Ibáñez and left-handed hitter Zach McKinstry.
Signing Urshela might permit the Tigers to make use of Vierling in a extra versatile position, together with seeing time in heart discipline. It’s a signing that would have ripple results throughout the roster, from Vierling offering insurance coverage for rookie Parker Meadows in heart to the way in which Ibáñez and McKinstry are used.
Primarily based on the way in which supervisor A.J. Hinch dealt with the roster final yr, when the Tigers used pinch hitters greater than all however 4 different groups, it’s potential to check Urshela (third base), Ibáñez (second base) and Vierling (heart discipline) all beginning towards left-handed pitching, with McKinstry, Colt Keith and Meadows then accessible to pinch hit. The transfer might additionally make the trail to a roster spot much more troublesome for right-handed outfield prospect Justyn-Henry Malloy and infielder Ryan Kreidler.
Though president of baseball operations Scott Harris had seemingly been hesitant to hunt extra veteran help, a one-year take care of Urshela ought to present extra stability at third base whereas prospect Jace Jung (who has already been instructed he gained’t be on the Opening Day roster) polishes his expertise within the minor leagues.
“If you happen to look across the diamond, there aren’t a ton of at-bats accessible for an additional on a regular basis sort,” Harris mentioned final week. “So we felt like there was room for one (veteran outfielder Mark Canha), after which the remainder of the additions could be form of supplementary to the on a regular basis lineup.”
Urshela could also be utilized in a mess of the way, however this signing provides wanted help to Detroit’s infield.
(Picture: Steph Chambers / Getty Photos)
