It’s Official: Raburn Out, Figaro In

You know all that guessing I was doing in my last post, when rumor broke about Alfredo Figaro being recalled? Nevermind all that.

The Tigers have just announced that utilityman Ryan Raburn was optioned to AAA Toledo and that Figaro will take his place on the roster.

The Tigers need Figaro in the bullpen right away as they play a day/night doubleheader with the Yankees today. On top of that strain, the bullpen was already short with Brad Thomas and Eddie Bonine likely not available due to their extended work on Monday, filling in for the ill (not in the good way) Dontrelle Willis.

More after the jump.

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So the Tigers will play at least the next two games a man short on the bench and go with a 13-man staff. Raburn must spend at least two weeks on assignment before he can re-join the team, unless he is replacing an injured player.

The guess here is that once the Tigers get Thomas and Bonine back, Figaro would be optioned back out, but that would leave the door open for someone else from Toledo to return, possibly Brent Dlugach.

Or it could be that Figaro stays with the club until Carlos Guillen returns from the disabled list, which could happen by the weekend, although that is unlikely.

Whatever happens, this move could have bigger legs than we think.