Detroit Tigers: Three Players who will make a difference in September

Matt Hall

The Detroit Tigers have jerked Matt Hall around a bit, moving him from the rotation to the bullpen and back to the rotation this season. Many thought he would get the call when Blaine Hardy went on the DL, but the team instead went with fellow left-hander Ryan Carpenter.

However, it’s clear Hall is ready to face major league hitters. Through 10 starts at Toledo, Hall has a 2.67 ERA , a 1.15 WHIP and a 9.26 K/9. His future is likely as a back-end of the rotation starter, but he might be approaching that ceiling in the next year or two.

Hall is not on the 40-man roster, which will require an additional move if they want to promote him. They could easily add John Hicks, who is out for the season, to the 60-day DL which would free up a spot.

Ultimately, Hall needs to get a chance this season to pitch out of Detroit’s rotation. It’s a rebuilding season, and therefore Detroit’s prospects should be getting looks as soon as they are ready. Carpenter is not a viable big league pitcher, and his future is virtually non-existent.

Hall has a chance to stick in a big league rotation, and it doesn’t do the Tigers any good to roll with Carpenter for the rest of the season when Hall has proven himself ready to take on big league hitters.

The Detroit Tigers have an opportunity to expose their fans to some of the talent that has been sitting in the minor leagues for many years. While the rebuild is still in its infancy, getting a look at the players who will help turn this thing around is always fun, and should make September much more interesting.