Detroit — UCL reconstruction is apparently all the rage in the Detroit Tigers’ minor-league system, as the team announced Wednesday that a handful of players underwent the procedure recently — or will soon.
Right-handed pitcher Trevor Rosenthal is scheduled to go under UCL reconstruction revision next week, while left-hander Miguel Del Pozo and righty Kervin Castro both had successful surgeries recently.
In other notable news, infielder Ryan Kreidler (core muscle strain) is completing daily treatments and physical therapy following a core muscle surgery, according to the release, and top pitching prospect Jackson Jobe (lumbar spine inflammation) is in the process of throwing live batting practice in Lakeland, Fla.
Rosenthall, 33, hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since 2020. The Tigers signed him in 2019 following Tommy John surgery, a stint that saw him compile an ERA of 7.00 in 10 big-league appearances and elect free agency in August after clearing waivers.
A bounce-back 2020 season with San Diego and Kansas City couldn’t keep the injury bug away, though, as Rosenthal dealt with a thoracic outlet surgery, hip labrum surgery and a hamstring injury while bouncing to three more clubs (Oakland, San Francisco and Milwaukee) before landing back in Detroit.
Del Pozo, 30, last appeared for the Tigers in 2021. He made 15 appearances with Triple-A Toledo this season and had an ERA of 6.05 in 15 appearances. Castro, 24, signed a minor-league deal with the Tigers last offseason after appearing sporadically for San Francisco and Chicago the two prior seasons. His limited sample in the Tigers organization was off to a great start — he had an ERA of 2.30 in 15.2 innings pitched.
Jobe, the 2021 third-overall pick and 20-year-old right-hander, has not yet pitched this season and has been dealing with lower-back issues since March. Kreidler, 25, made his MLB debut for the Tigers last season. He made 11 appearances in 2023 and was optioned back to Toledo after going 2-for-18 at the plate.
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Twitter: @nolanbianchi
On deck: Twins
Series: Four games at Target Field, Minneapolis, Minn.
First pitch: Thursday — 7:10 p.m.; Friday — 8:10 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday — 2:10 p.m.
TV/radio: Thursday-Sunday — BSD/97.1
Probables: Thursday – LHP Matthew Boyd (3-5, 5.55) vs. RHP Sonny Gray (4-1, 2.25); Friday – TBA vs. RHP Joe Ryan (7-3, 2.90); Saturday – LHP Joey Wentz (1-6, 7.23) vs. TBA; Sunday – TBA vs RHP Louie Varland (3-2, 4.70).
▶ Boyd, Tigers: He’s been on a good-start, bad-start cycle. His last one was rough, allowing five runs (all coming on two home-run swings) in five innings. His previous start in Chicago was a gem: one run, nine strikeouts in five innings. Overall, he’s not been hit hard. His 34.5% hard-hit rate is in the top 23 percentile in baseball.
▶ Gray, Twins: He’s allowed no more than three runs in any of his 13 starts and he’s allowed just one home run in 72 total innings. The Twins have kept his innings down, though. He’s only gone beyond five innings twice. But, he comes at hitters in a lot of different ways, mixing curveballs, cutters, sinkers and sweepers of a high-spin, 93-mph four-seam fastball.
— Chris McCosky