Detroit Tigers: Alex Faedo, Daz Cameron promoted
By Rob Low
Erie SeaWolves
The SeaWolves began the week by winning three straight, then dropped their next three. At 31-39, Erie sits in a tie for last place in the Eastern League Western Division.
Faedo and Cameron Promoted
For the first time in their young careers, both Alex Faedo and Daz Cameron earned promotions to Double-A. Faedo came to Erie following 12 very good starts for Lakeland. In those 12 outings, he allowed one earned run or fewer nine times, including his last five in a row.
The righty made his debut for the SeaWolves Tuesday, and acquitted himself very well. In six innings, Faedo yielded two runs on a pair of hits, walked two, and tied his career-high with seven strikeouts. That makes it 11 of 13 professional starts with two earned runs or fewer for last year’s first rounder.
Cameron played in 58 games for Lakeland, slashing .259/.346/.370 with 10 steals. His final game prior to the promotion was the Florida State League All-Star Game. One of five Flying Tigers in the game, Cameron went 1-for-4 with a single.
It was a busy first day with the SeaWolves for Cameron on Tuesday, who played in both games of a doubleheader. He went 3-for-6, walked three times, and stole a base. Cameron picked up a hit in each of his first three games for Erie, and collected his first RBI on Wednesday.
Funkhouser Continues Roll
Since surrendering six runs on May 31, Kyle Funkhouser has been dominant. Over his last three starts, Funkhouser has given up just one run, and tossed 15 straight scoreless frames. During this three-start stretch, he’s also surrendered just 10 hits, three walks, and fanned 22.
The walk issues which plagued the former fourth rounder earlier in the year, have seemingly subsided. For the season, the righty sports a 3.60 ERA across 70.0 innings of work, and has struck out a batter per inning. The way Funkhouser, Beau Burrows, and Spencer Turnbull have been pitching, it’s a race to see who gets promoted to Toledo first.
Another Former Marlin
We’ve already touched on Junichi Tazawa, but the Detroit Tigers also recently signed Hunter Cervenka to a minor league deal. The lefty made 73 relief appearances for Atlanta and Miami over the last two seasons, posting a 4.69 ERA.
After failing to stick with the Marlins and Orioles this spring, Cervenka signed with Sugar Land of the Independent Atlantic League. In 19 appearances, he owned a 1.53 ERA, and struck out 21 while walking just two in 17.2 innings.
His performance caught the attention of the Tigers, who signed him to a minor league deal on June 5. Cervenka started with Lakeland, and fanned five in three and a third scoreless frames over two outings.
Detroit promoted Cervenka to Erie’s bullpen this week. Over his first two appearances, he’s allowed a pair of base runners in four and a third innings, added four more strikeouts, and still hasn’t allowed a run.
Like the other two recently signed former Marlins, Tazawa and Turner, Cervenka is a low-risk depth option. Being a lefty gives him the best chance of the three to stick in Detroit, since the Tigers have barely used a southpaw out of the bullpen since Daniel Stumpf‘s injury.
Blaine Hardy pitched in relief earlier in the week, but has looked good as a starter and could rejoin the rotation when the Tigers need a fifth starter again. If he keeps pitching the way he has since joining the organization, the Detroit Tigers need to at least give Cervenka a chance.