Detroit Tigers: Three players to watch out for this September

Detroit Tigers fans have seen the team plummet in the standings. With the calendar having turned to September, here are some recent call ups to watch out for as the season winds down.

Detroit Tigers players sitting in fourth place this season, and being virtually out of the playoff race, we are set to see a number of young players come up from the minors this season and be used in a variety of different situations to try and ready them for the Major Leagues.

Some players have the potential to be instant difference makers when they get the call. Here are three players to watch out for come this September.

Blaine Hardy

Now Blaine Hardy is probably a familiar name to most Tiger fans. Hardy has been a key piece to the Tigers pen since 2014, being one of the more reliable left handed arms in this organization.

The left-hander got off to a horrible start in 2017, posting an earned run average of over six with a WHIP of 1.91, causing him to get demoted to Triple-A Toledo.

Since the demotion, Hardy was lights out in the Toledo bullpen. He posted a 3.10 earned run average in Triple-A Toledo with a WHIP of 0.91 while posting a 9.00 strike out to walk ratio.

It is no secret that the Tigers need help in the pen and Hardy could provide that.

Jeimer Candelario

The centerpiece in the trade that sent Tiger’s closer Justin Wilson and catcher Alex Avila to the Cubs, Candelario seemed a solid bet to get the call to the bigs in September.

With Miguel Cabrera set to serve a seven-game suspension and Victor Martinez on the disabled list yet again, the Tigers are going to need some help at first base.

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Candelario, who can play both corner infield spots and should help fill the need.

Candelario is expected to be a part of this teams opening day roster come 2018, so calling up the infielder should help him get more comfortable at the major league level.

Jairo Labourt

Labourt was part of a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays that sent three left-handed pitchers, the other two being Daniel Norris and Matt Boyd, to Detroit in exchange for former Tigers ace David Price.

Jairo Labourt is the last of the three to make it to the majors.

Labourt struggled as a starter in the 2015 and 2016 season, posting an earned run average north of five in the lower levels of the minors.

Mid-way through the 2016 season, Labourt made the transition to the bullpen and never looked back.

The southpaw has made the jump from Single-A Lakeland to Triple-A Toledo this season, posting an earned run average of 2.17 and a 10.72 k/9 in all three levels of the minors.

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Walks have been a problem at times four Labourt as he has allowed 4.48 walks per nine inning this year in the minors. He should benefit from the call up to work with major league coaching.