Detroit Tigers: Alex Faedo sent to minors, set to join MiLB rotation

Detroit Tigers send Alex Faedo down to join Triple-A rotation.

The latest round of Detroit Tigers roster cuts has been made. One of the latest players to be sent down to minor league camp was starting pitcher Alex Faedo. The right-handed pitcher debuted in 2022 and will likely get another chance in 2023 if all goes well in the minors.

After being cut from Detroit Tigers Spring Training, he will be expected to help anchor the starting rotation. He's going to start the 2023 season in Toledo, and the expectation is that he will be one of their starters vying for a chance to join the big league staff as he builds up to that level.

The Tigers gave him some chances with the club during Spring Training, but things did not go great for him. Faedo made four appearances and accumulated 5.1 innings pitched. He allowed seven earned runs in the process, pitching to an 11.81 ERA.

Faedo allowed 11 hits, including two home runs, walking three. However, he did strike out seven. But there was not a lot to write home about in his performance that was positive outside of the seven punchouts.

After making his debut in 2022, he will have to get a hot start in Toledo to warrant any chance of a call-up in 2023. But after the absurd amount of pitching injuries the Tigers had to cope with last summer; there was no choice but to call up Faedo.

Ironically, Faedo had to head to the Injured List (IL) himself after undergoing hip surgery last summer. In 2021, Faedo was recovering from Tommy John Surgery. Needless to say, there's been some injury trouble in his career.

Before his season was ended, Faedo made 12 starts in 2022 for the Tigers. He accumulated 53.2 innings pitched, where he pitched to a 5.53 ERA and 1.64 WHIP. He walked 25 and punched out 44 during that time.

Once again, these are not the most exciting stats that jump off the page for a former 18th overall draft pick. But, then again, the Tigers' once plentiful stable of arms has not quite produced anyone who's been able to sustain their performance or stay healthy, for that matter.

While Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal project to have fine big-league careers after they recover, the Tigers' other former top pitching prospects have not quite shaken out as expected. Matt Manning has dealt with injuries of his own; Beau Burrows is now kicking around in the Atlanta Braves organization.

If Faedo wants to do anything for the Tigers in the future, he needs to get off to a hot start in Toledo. But that's a tall ask, given how things have gone for him as of late.