TO UPDATE: Zimmermann has been included on the 45-day disabled list, according to Jason Beck of MLB.com and others (Twitter links). The Tigers have yet to rule it out for the season.
TODAY: Jordan Zimmermann He’s dealing with the same type of forearm pain that weakened him for much of the 2019 season, according to Chris McCosky of The Detroit News. If he can stay healthy, a big yes, Zimmermann would seek to make the most of a short season by proving that his arm still plays at the major league level. This will be the last year of the five-year, $ 110 million pact he signed with the Tigers prior to the 2016 season.
It’s been a tough couple of years for Zimmermann, who will end his contract without making 30 starts in one season after doing so in each of his last four seasons with the Nationals. Despite the precipitous drop in performance, the Tigers turned to Zimmermann as a veteran in a rotation that will soon be overtaken by high-potential prospects like Tarik Skubal, Matt Manning, Franklin Perez, Casey Mizeand Joey Wentz. The rotation is already without Daniel Norris, who has not yet launched into the camp after testing positive for coronavirus.
Meanwhile, the Tigers are struggling to complete the rotation behind the ace. Matthew Boyd. Veteran Ivan Nova was brought in to absorb innings (34 starts, 187 innings in 2019), and Spencer turnbull The numbers will be somewhere in the middle of the rotation after a mostly strong performance in 2019. Turnbull was 3-17 last season with a 4.61 / FIP ERA of 3.99. He has done a good job of limiting long balls throughout his two seasons in the majors, and if he can improve on some control issues that led to 16 high-AL hitters and 3.6 BB / 9, the Tigers hope Turnbull can level his 4.76 ERA and land closer to his 3.88 FIP mark.
Beyond those three, the Tigers are working to extend the entrances of Darío Agrazal, Shao-Ching Chiang, Hector Santiagoand Tyler Alexander to potentially complete the rotation. Former rookie of the year Michael Fulmer He also has a chance to get some rotation tickets, McCosky writes. Fulmer missed all of 2019 after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Of the youth at camp, Mize probably has the best chance of breaking the rotation. Under normal circumstances, Mize would be fined for Triple-A after 22 starts with a 2.55 ERA in Double-A last year, but with no minor league games to advance his development, count Mize among the many young stars with a Slightly higher chance of breaking up in the big leagues sometime during the shortened 2020 season. Seven days in the taxi squad will be enough for the Tigers to secure an extra year of service time, McCosky says, but manager Ron Gardenhire does not plan. Make no official decision until you know more about the health of Zimmermann and Norris.
