Detroit Tigers first half report cards

Detroit Tigers F Grades

Jeimer Candelario – Jeimer Candelario might be even more confusing than Jonathan Schoop. From 2020-2021 he was a top five third baseman, hitting for average, taking walks, peppering the gaps with extra-base hits, and playing respectable defense. Almost all of that has disappeared this season, with his average dropping 90 points, his walk rate down 4%, and his power numbers cratering. If he doesn’t turn things around in the second half he’s a legitimate non-tender candidate.

Robbie Grossman – The best season of Robbie Grossman’s career has been followed by the worst season of his career. He’s striking out more than ever, hitting for less power than ever, and playing well below-average defense. It’s conceivable the Tigers may try to trade him or release him at some point over the next 5-6 weeks.

Elvin Rodriguez – This isn’t fair, because Elvin Rodriguez never should have been in the majors this season. But injuries led to his arrival, and his numbers are ugly. Rodriguez racked up an 11.51 ERA over 20.1 innings, allowing 28 hits, 9 walks, and 9 home runs. He showed flashes of solid stuff, but he has a long way to go to become an effective big-league pitcher.

Spencer Torkelson – We end with the saddest grade of all. All rookies are expected to struggle to some degree, but Spencer Torkelson is having a historically bad debut season. He’s walking at a decent clip, and playing solid defense at first base, but Torkelson ranks dead last among qualified hitters this year to both FanGraphs and Baseball Reference. He’s hitting .193 with very little power, consistently missing pitches over the heart of the zone, and batting just .037 against offspeed pitches. It’s a conundrum.

Detroit Tigers Incomplete Grades

Akil Baddoo, Daz Cameron, Kody Clemens, Derek Hill, Garrett Hill, Matt Manning, Casey Mize.