Detroit Tigers: 3 changes we'd already make after the first 10 days of the season

Detroit Tigers v Houston Astros
Detroit Tigers v Houston Astros / Bob Levey/GettyImages
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There are several changes we're ready to make to the Detroit Tigers

The Detroit Tigers have gotten off to yet another slow start, as they're just (record) to start the season. Some players have underperformed or just flat out stunk to start the season. It was expected for some players, but not so much for others.

In this article, we're going to go over three changes we'd already make to the Detroit Tigers roster. There are quite a few players on the big league roster that we already want to move on from. Hot starts from a few prospects in Toledo have only exacerbated that feeling.

The changes we want to make are going to come all throughout the roster. There will be two hitters and one pitcher that would be off the team if it were up to us. So without further ado, here are three changes we'd already make to the Detroit Tigers roster.

DFA 2B Jonathan Schoop, call up INF Tyler Nevin

This is a move that we're honestly surprised hasn't happened yet. Schoop is clearly on his way out of Detroit. A.J. Hinch is playing him in a platoon with Zack McKinstry and others. He's only played in roughly half the games. He's 31 and is not a part of the future here. The team seems like they are ready to move on from him. So why hasn't it happened yet?

Well, the biggest reason is likely the money he's owed this year. He's in the final year of a two-year, $15 million deal in which he's owed $7.5 million this season. There's a good chance the Tigers don't want to eat the money he's owed just yet. It'll probably happen at some point this year if he doesn't get it going quickly, but the money is most likely what's holding things up.

Other than that, there's really no reason for Schoop to be on this roster. With the shift being gone, his lack of range in the infield has been exposed. He's played some third base and hasn't exactly looked spectalular doing it. We thought he had the arm to pull it off, but it's clear he doesn't. Matt Vierling, who's an outfielder by trade, has looked better at third than Schoop. Ryan Kreidler and Nick Maton have both looked much more comfortable over there.

He can't hit, and his fielding had already declined massively in the field from last year. What's the point in keeping him? We can't find one, so we'd just eat the money and DFA him.

In a corresponding move, we'd call up Tyler Nevin, who was surprisingly optioned to Triple-A following his rehab assingment in which he went 11-for-18. Nevin can play third base and first base, as well as a little bit of the outfield. He also has a track record of having good plate discipline in the minors. We're not super high on him by any means, but he can't be any worse than Jonathan Schoop.

DFA INF Zach McKinstry, call up INF Andre Lipcius

Zach McKinstry is essentially a left-handed Zack Short. He's looked pretty awful at the plate and hasn't looked very sharp in the field either, despite the fact that he was billed as being a good defender. This acquisition has been puzzling from the start. There's no reason to have him other than the fact that he's left-handed. We'd let him go as well.

Andre Lipcius would come up in his place. He's right-handed, and he's off to a slow start in Toledo, but he's at least an unproven commondity. McKinstry has proved that he's not an MLB player, and he did that well before the Tigers traded for him.

Andy Ibanez could be another option if the Tigers think Lipcius needs more time in the minors. He's off to a great start in Toledo with an OPS well over 1.000 as of this writing. I would love to get Parker Meadows or Akil Baddoo up here as well, but I just don't think there's enough room for them at the moment. Kerry Carpenter has been solid so far for the Tigers.

At the end of the day, anybody they have in the system would be better than Zach McKinstry.

DFA RHP Jose Cisnero, call up RHP Miguel Diaz

It was a mystery as to why Miguel Diaz didn't make the roster in the first place. He allowed just one run all spring. At the time he was sent down, he had yet to allow a run. But now as we've gotten a good luck at the Tigers bullpen early on this season, it's even more of a mind-boggling decision to not carry him.

Nobody has really stood out other than Mason Englert, at least not for the right reasons. Nobody can throw strikes, which is really frustrating. But by far the worst of the bunch has been Jose Cisnero.

I wrote about him last week after he allowed a three-run homer to Yordan Alvarez on a pitch down the chute. He's totally cooked. His velocity is down and has no secondary stuff whatsoever. He hasn't been the same since the shoulder injury he suffered in spring training last year. Everyone can see it except the guy who keeps trotting him out there.

At the very least, he shouldn't be pitching in high leverage situations anymore. If he's not going to be effective, then he can't pitch with runners on. But right now it looks like he can't pitch in the big leagues at all. If we had control of the roster, we'd DFA him.

Miguel Diaz would easily be the guy we'd bring up. His sinker/changeup combo would give the Tigers a unique arm in the bullpen. There are other arms, such as Kervin Castro and Brendan White. Trevor Rosenthal will be ready at some point as well. The Tigers have some options, and they will surely go through them this season.

dark. Next. Detroit Tigers showcase changes to Comerica Park

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