Five Potential September Call Ups for the Detroit Tigers

Jun 30, 2013; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Rick Porcello (21) talks with catcher Bryan Holaday (50) during the fourth inning as the bases are loaded against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Bryan Holaday

Jim Leyland is always super nervous about pinch hitting for catchers, pinch running for catchers, or using catchers as pinch hitters because he doesn’t like to be left without a viable option on his bench in case of an emergency. For that reason we can pretty much guarantee that a third catcher will be sitting on the bench come September 1. Holaday is currently active due to Alex Avila’s concussion, but he’ll either (1) come back if Avila is activated before September or (2) stay around if Avila is activated after September 1 (I fully expect option #1 to be the case). Holaday won’t be looking at much playing time, but he’ll be there for extra insurance in the event that Don Kelly pinch runs for Avila and then Brayan Pena takes a foul ball of the hand or something.