Detroit Tigers: 3 players who may not return for the 2023 season

The Detroit Tigers are going to see some roster shakeups ahead of 2023.

As the Detroit Tigers finish the 2022 season, some players may not return when the 2023 season rolls around. Especially with the Tigers moving on from Al Avila after seven seasons of him being at the helm as the team’s general manager.

For the Detroit Tigers, a wholesale change could occur in the team’s front office. With a plethora of options for the general manager position, there is a lot to consider as the team continues to conduct its search. Whether they opt to go with an inside hire like Sam Menzin or someone else or choose an outside hire who may pique their interest, there are options.

The Tigers organization is going to shift its direction. Even with an inside hire, things will change, and a complete inventory or analysis of the organization will happen. This is going to result in the Tigers making some personnel changes.

That does not just apply to the front office. However, there will be players who are on their way out after the 2022 season. With some roster changes likely to be on the way, there’s going to be a bit of a shakeup.

Whether it’s by way of trades, cuts, or a designation for assignment, things are going to change on the roster. The Tigers need to make changes, so there are going to be some familiar faces who end up being on the way out.

Here are three Detroit Tigers players who may be on their way out.

Detroit Tigers left-hander Daniel Norris may not return in 2023.

While the Detroit Tigers have not seen Daniel Norris all season long, he rejoined the team in August. After getting on track with the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens, the Tigers needed to call up the southpaw amid more pitching injuries.

The Tigers faithful are pretty used to Norris being on the mound for their team, so when there were more injuries, it was an easy call-up to bring him back. Norris has pitched in six games, two of them being as a starter, to manage 17.1 innings pitched in total.

Norris has pitched to a 4.67 ERA, a 1.33 WHIP, and punched out only 11 hitters in the process. It has been a little shaky at times, and Norris has not quite been able to be the pitcher the team might have been hoping for when they brought him back.

While the mid-season reunion was great and offered some promise when the team was hurting for pitchers, Norris will likely be heading to the curb once the 2022 season comes to an end. The Tigers will have other options ahead of him who will help fill out the pitching staff.

It may not be the biggest shock, but it’s one of those moves that will change up the personnel as the 2022 season ends. After all, Norris has been traded once; who knows? Maybe he will find his way back to the organization once again in 2023 via a minor league deal.

Jokes aside, Norris will likely be going his separate ways from the Tigers after the 2022 season ends.

It may be time for the Detroit Tigers to give up on INF/RHP Kody Clemens.

The Detroit Tigers selected Kody Clemens in the third round of the 2018 MLB First-Year Amateur Draft out of the University of Texas at Austin. After selecting him, there was a lot of hope that he could pan out being a future big leaguer who helps the future of this organization.

After making his debut in 2022, things have not been the greatest. His performance has been quite lackluster. In fact, he’s been better on the mound than in the batters’ box at times. In the header, Clemens was listed as an INF/RHP because he has become the team’s go-to reliever in blowout games.

He channels his inner Clemens bloodlines, including his recent strikeout of Shohei Ohtani that led to a wholesome moment where he kept the ball and later was able to get it signed by the two-way superstar.

Unfortunately for Clemens, things have not quite clicked offensively with some worrisome performances in the batters’ box. He’s logged 46 games, totaling 100 at-bats, where he has slashed a measly .140/.200/.270 with 28 punchouts.

It’s been far from a smooth performance for the infielder. He’s a second baseman by trade but has sometimes been shifted around. In all reality, it may be time to send him back to the minors. While it may not be an outright cut, it may be time to shift around the roster and give Clemens a reset.

Clemens has severely underwhelmed in his performance. So the Tigers should be considering moving in a different direction. After a switch-up in the front office and a new general manager coming in, the Tigers may opt to go in a different direction.

At a minimum, the Tigers need to move Clemens back to the minors and give him a reset for the 2023 season.