Inside the Article:
We are just days away from Opening Day 2023, and the Detroit Tigers have been working to trim their roster down to 26 players. Just moments ago, the Tigers announced their decision on OF Akil Baddoo, and eight other players. The Tigers have decided to option Baddoo and Zach Short to Triple-A Toledo while reassigning pitchers Jace Fry, Trevor Rosenthal & Matt Wisler & position players Jonathan Davis, César Hernández, Andrew Knapp & Michael Papierski to MiLB camp. With those moves, the Tigers' roster is now down to 30 players.
Key Points
- The Detroit Tigers are preparing for Opening Day 2023 by trimming their roster down to 26 players.
- The Tigers have decided to option Akil Baddoo and Zach Short to Triple-A Toledo, while reassigning several other players to minor league camp.
- These moves have reduced the Tigers' roster to 30 players, leaving them with a few more decisions to make before the start of the season.
Why it Matters for Akil Baddoo and the Detroit Tigers
Baddoo was in a battle with Kerry Carpenter for one of the final roster spots, and Carpenter is getting the nod, at least to start off the season, from Tigers' manager A.J. Hinch. During Spring Training, Baddoo batted .250 with three home runs and four RBIs, while Carpenter batted .333 with three home runs and nine RBIs. Though Baddoo will have to start the season in Toledo, he is still just 24 years old, and he still has time to get himself right. Smart money says he will be up with the Tigers at some point during the 2023 season.
Bottom Line: Baddoo is heading to Toledo
The Tigers have made one of their final roster decisions ahead of Opening Day 2023, with OF Akil Baddoo being optioned to Triple-A Toledo, while Kerry Carpenter has been chosen for the final outfield spot. While this may come as a disappointment for Baddoo, his young age and strong performance in Spring Training suggest that he has a bright future ahead and may have the opportunity to join the Tigers later in the season.
