3 Tigers players we'll be glad are gone in 2024 and 2 we wish stayed

Spencer Turnbull

Oh, Spencer. How we wish things didn't turn out the way they did. He showed so much promise in 2021 before the injuries started to hit. It's a shame how things work out sometimes.

Turnbull's career numbers in Detroit weren't very good. He was 12-29 with a 4.55 ERA and a 4.2 bWAR in 60 starts. But that doesn't really tell the whole story. There were good stretches in there, such as those nine starts in 2021 where he looked like an ace. He had a 2.88 ERA and 2.95 FIP in 50 innings before a forearm injury turned into Tommy John surgery, causing him to miss the entire 2022 season.

The shortened 2020 season wasn't bad either, with a 3.97 ERA and 3.49 FIP in 11 starts. His stuff was plenty good enough to pitch in the big leagues. Nowhere was that more evident than his no-hitter against the Mariners in 2021.

But 2023 is where it all fell apart. After a promising spring training, Turnbull looked like a shell of his former self in the regular season. In seven starts, he had a 7.26 ERA, a 5.55 FIP, and struggled with his command. Then, came the drama.

He was sent down to Triple-A. Then it turned out he had a neck injury, so his option was rescinded and he was placed on the IL. Then he switched agents to one Scott Boras. That's when we knew something was fishy. Long story short, he didn't pitch for the Tigers again. He was non-tendered this offseason.

Turnbull would sign with the Phillies on a cheap one-year prove-it deal. Honestly, they can have him. He's their problem now. They can have the injuries, the inconsistency, and the drama. We don't need any of that. Have fun with him, Philly.