The Detroit Tigers suffered their fourth straight loss. They were swept by the Yankees over the weekend and now they’ve dropped the first game of their three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians. Since this recent skid, they’ve been outscored 14-7, that’s even with their ace Tarik Skubal making an appearance and he didn’t pitch badly in his start going six innings giving up two runs on six hits; he didn’t issue a walk and struck out 12 in Sunday’s game against the Yankees. The only hitter that has been producing lately for the Tigers is Riley Greene who over the last four games has gone 5-15 with two home runs, two RBI, three runs scored, and two walks; he leads the team in home runs, and RBI as well as fifth in all of baseball in home runs with nine. Jack Flaherty got the ball last night and he didn’t pitch bad for the Tigers despite taking the loss, he went six innings giving up two runs on six hits; he walked one and struck out six but was the culprit of the struggling Tigers offense. In the hope of trying to provide a spark to the lineup the Tigers today are expected to option Parker Meadows down to Triple-A Toledo in hopes of him finding his swing again, and in the corresponding move they are expected to call up Ryan Vilade from Triple-A Toledo. In order to make the move necessary they need to open a spot on the 40-man roster which they will do by moving Sawyer Gipson-Long to the 60-day injured list.
Tigers Moves By The Numbers
Parker Meadows
The Tigers drafted Meadows in the second round of the 2018 MLB Draft. Last season, in Triple-A Toledo he played in 114 games hitting .256 with a .812 OPS; he had 27 doubles, seven triples, 19 home runs, 65 RBI, 78 runs scored, 19 stolen bases, and 57 walks. He made his big league debut on August 21, 2023, going 1-5, he would finish the season in Detroit playing in 37 games hitting .232 with a .699 OPS; he had four doubles, two triples, three home runs, 13 RBI, 19 runs scored, eight stolen bases, and 17 walks. This season through 32 games he is hitting .096 with a .443 OPS; he has one double, one triple, two home runs, three RBI, nine runs scored, three stolen bases, and 11 walks.
Ryan Vilade
Vilade was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the second round of the 2017 MLB Draft. He made his big league debut on September 18, 2021, going 0-4; he would go on to play in three games that season going 9-34 with a double, a home run, five RBI, eight runs scored, two stolen bases, and four walks. On November 9, 2022, he was claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Last season in the Pirates system he played at Triple-A Indianapolis appearing in 122 games he hit .270 with a .752 OPS; he had 23 doubles, four triples, six home runs, 56 RBI, 64 runs scored, 64 walks, and seven stolen bases. On November 21, 2023, he was signed as a free agent by the Tigers and he would start the season with Triple-A Toledo. In 27 games to start the season he is hitting .333 with a .949 OPS; he has eight doubles, three home runs, 17 RBI, 16 runs scored, eight walks, and eight stolen bases.
Wrap Up
The Tigers calling up Vilade as the option to replace Meadows is an interesting one with the option of Justyn-Henry Malloy who like Vilade can play outfield or infield but also another name is Akil Baddoo. But Vilade leads the Mud Hens in batting average and OPS, he is third in RBI, and fourth in runs scored so if that can translate to the big leagues then the call-up makes sense.
