Detroit Tigers: Can Sandy Baez help struggling Tigers bullpen?

The Detroit Tigers have called up relief pitcher Sandy Baez from Triple-A Toledo following Thursday’s 17-3 loss to Oakland.

The move to bring Baez up to the majors comes after the Detroit Tigers announced that Rule 5 Draft Pick Reed Garrett would be cut. The Tigers’ bullpen has been in bad shape as of late and Garrett has been one of the worst performers this year coming out of the pen.

The righty allowed four runs in just one inning of work in Thursday’s blowout loss and ends his Detroit Tigers career with an 8.22 ERA. As MLive’ Evan Woodbery reports, being a Rule 5 Selection, Garrett could not be directly sent to the minors so being DFA’d means being put on waivers for the 26-year-old.

Coming into the Motor City to take Garrett’s place is righty Sandy Baez. Baez did spend some time on Detroit’s big league roster in 2018, making his MLB debut last June and experiencing a more extended stay in the majors during September call up season. The 25-year-old currently holds a 5.02 ERA and 1.465 WHIP at the MLB level.

The Detroit Tigers are in desperate need of any bullpen help they can get, but Baez has not quite been at the top of his game in Triple-A this year. In 15 appearances for Toledo, Baez has an 8.50 ERA and just 16 strikeouts in 18 IP.

Yes, he does have some major league experience under his belt, but is Baez really the best option to help the Tigers’ bullpen right now? Considering the other options Detroit could have looked to, it looks like Baez might be the best choice.

Jose Manuel Fernandez has put up good numbers in Triple-A but holds a 17.18 ERA at the major league level this year after four appearances for the Tigers earlier in 2019. Michigan native John Schreiber has been showing promise with a 1.35 ERA since being promoted to Toledo in late April, but the organization still might be a bit hesitant to risk rattling the confidence of yet another young arm.

The numbers regarding Baez may not be the most outstanding, but his prior big league experience probably makes him the best option the Tigers could look to at the moment for any sort of bullpen help.