Earlier today, we passed along a report that the Detroit Tigers were trading Gregory Soto and Kody Clemens to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for Matt Vierling, Nick Maton, and Donny Sands. Since then, everybody has been giving their opinion on the trade, some liking it and some upset that the Tigers gave up an All-Star pitcher for “utility” players. Just moments ago, Tigers President of Baseball Operations Scott Harris released a statement regarding the trade.
What did Detroit Tigers POB Scott Harris say about the trade?
Here is what Harris had to say about the three players the Tigers acquired on Saturday.
Matt Vierling is a tremendous athlete. He has a track record of controlling the strike zone. He can play everywhere on the diamond. And he has already performed at a high level in the big leagues. We also think that he brings some athleticism, versatility and speed that can really enhance our overall offensive unit in 2023. We also think the speed component may be of greater importance in the new rules, so it’s nice to add a little bit more speed to our offense.
Nick Maton is another versatile position player who has a history of controlling the zone. He has already hit right-handed pitching in the big leagues. He has a track record of hitting right-handed pitching throughout his professional career. And he feels comfortable on the grass and in the dirt. Both of those players do. Those type of players are hard to find, and we feel like we’re adding two of them who have already performed in the big leagues.
The third player is Donny Sands. Donny has consistently been a strong defensive catcher. We are confident in his ability to help our pitchers in the strike zone, and we also saw some flashes of more juice in the bat in AAA this year. We feel like there’s a little bit more in there in the bat, but we’re confident in his abilities behind the dish. We’re looking forward to getting him and all of these players with our new hitting group to work on helping them adjust to what pitchers are doing to them in the big leagues.
