Detroit Tigers: Former Players Feature on Upcoming Schedule

Detroit Tigers players have so far enjoyed a successful season despite losing a number of players from last season’s team. Some of those players, and a number of other ex-Tigers will match up against Detroit.

Detroit Tigers players will enter a crucial stretch of the season on Monday when the team kicks off a three-game set with the Kansas City Royals. Detroit will play three other home series over the rest of the month. These include tilts with the Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the Chicago White Sox.

After seven total games against the Royals and Red Sox, Detroit will hit the road for a brief, three-game series in Minnesota against the Twins. Following that, the team will return home for the aforementioned series versus Anaheim and Chicago.

While each game is crucial, the upcoming contests will feature teams that employ a significant number of former Detroit players.

Interestingly, the Tigers are a matchup with Yoenis Cespedes and the Mets away from facing all three prominent players traded at last season’s deadline. Of course, Detroit doesn’t play the Mets again this season, but David Price and Joakim Soria will both come back to Motown in the coming weeks.

Starting off with Kansas City, here is a look at the former Tigers Miguel Cabrera and company will face as the calendar creeps towards September.

Kansas City Royals: Reliever Joakim Soria

In terms of former Detroit Tigers players on the Royals roster, it starts and ends with Joakim Soria. With Omar Infante released earlier in the season and Brian Flynn in the minor leagues, Soria is the lone former Tiger currently with Kansas City’s big league team.

Soria was dealt to the Pirates from Detroit at last season’s trade deadline before signing with the defending champs in the offseason.

So far, the decision to move on from the team’s former closer looks like the right move for the Tigers.

Over the course of 50 innings, the longtime closer owns a 4.14 ERA, a 4.60 FIP and a 3.72 SIERA. What’s more, he’s locked into a hefty, long-term contract. The deal which he signed with the Royals just months ago will potentially take him through his age-35 season (per Spotrac).

In the trade that sent Soria to Pittsburgh, the Tigers were also able to pick up JaCoby Jones, who brings an intriguing blend of raw power, speed and athleticism to the diamond.  He’s seen time at third base, shortstop and in the outfield. It isn’t difficult to imagine him having a Ben Zobrist like effect on the team in the near future.

Boston Red Sox: Catcher Bryan Holaday and Starting Pitchers David Price and Rick Porcello

With the recent addition of Bryan Holaday, Dave Dombrowski now has three former Tigers with him in Boston. The former Detroit general manger signed David Price in the offseason. He had already inherited Rick Porcello.

For Holaday, Price and Porcello, the results have been mixed this season.

The former Tigers catcher has played just three games with the Sox. In those three games, he’s collected a pair of hits and a RBI. In 33 games between Boston and Texas, the 28-year-old is hitting .239. He’s also added 15 runs scored, 14 RBI, six doubles, two home runs and a triple.

While Holaday’s numbers are respectable for a backup catcher, Price has struggled. In 163.2 innings, the former Tiger and Ray has allowed the most hits in the league with 173. Additionally, the 30-year-old’s 4.29 ERA and 1.9 WAR are hardly ace-like statistics.

Like Soria, Price is locked into a lengthy contract—which is equal parts hefty and lengthy (per Spotrac).

Rounding out the trio of former Tigers is Porcello.

The former first-round draft pick is having perhaps the best season of his career. Over 158 innings, the 27-year-old has racked up a staggering 16 wins in just 24 starts. What’s more, his 3.30 ERA is on track to be a career-low.

Despite the strong season, Detroit made the right move in dealing Porcello. The trade with Boston netted the Tigers Alex Wilson, Gabe Speier and Cespedes.

Wilson has been Detroit’s best reliever over the past two seasons, while Cespedes provided elite production before being dealt for Michael Fulmer and Luis Cessa. Speier was sent to Atlanta in the Cameron Maybin deal. Additionally, Cessa was dealt to the Yankees in the Justin Wilson trade.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: Infielder Jefry Marte and Relievers Jose Alvarez and Jose Valdez

As it stands, the Minnesota Twins don’t have any former Tigers on their roster. However, the Angels may have enough ex-Detroit players for both teams.

Anaheim is struggling mightily right now, and one (so far unsuccessful) way the team is trying to fix things is by throwing a number of different former Tigers on the field.

Jefry Marte, who saw action in 33 games for Detroit at both first and third base last season, currently starts at first base for the Angels. He’s also seen time at the hot corner and in left field while posting a 0.2 WAR.

Since making his Anaheim debut, the 25-year-old is hitting.245 with a .743 OPS, 24 RBI, 23 runs scored, eight doubles and eight home runs. His on-base percentage currently sits at .297 over 57 contests.

In addition to Marte, the Halos also employ a pair of ex-Tigers in the bullpen. Jose Alvarez, who was acquired for Andrew Romine, has pitched to a 4.00 ERA and a 3.25 FIP in relief for Anaheim. Fellow reliever Jose Valdez has so far surrendered six walks, four runs and a pair of hits in just four innings with the American League West club.

The Angels previously employed Al Alburquerque earlier this season.