Tigers do just enough to keep fans enticed with September roster moves

With MLB rosters expanding from 26 to 28 players on Monday, the Detroit Tigers announced that right-handed relief pitcher Chase Lee and outfielder Justyn-Henry Malloy had been recalled from Triple-A Toledo. The hope for the Tigers is that these September call-ups can help their cause down the stretch as they chase an AL Central title and one of the top two seeds in the American League.

Malloy appeared as a pinch hitter for the Tigers in Monday's series opener against the New York Mets at Comerica Park. According to Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press, the plan is for the Tigers to drop one of their pitchers – presumably Lee – and recall Sawyer Gipson-Long to pitch as a starter or bulk reliever against the Mets on Tuesday.

It's all part of the series-by-series pitching strategy that the Tigers have been implementing since early August. The one caveat, of course, is that any pitcher who gets sent down to Triple-A must remain there for at least 15 days before they are eligible to return to the Tigers, unless there is an injury.

It may be a while, then, before Tigers fans get eyes on Lee, who has bounced between Triple-A and the big leagues throughout the season with mixed results. Lee owns a 4.10 ERA in 37 1/3 innings with the Tigers this season while pitching to an 8.10 ERA in 23 1/3 innings with Toledo. Still, the bullpen situation remains extremely fluid in Detroit.

Tigers do just enough to keep fans enticed with September roster moves

As for Malloy, Monday's game against the Mets offered some insight into how he might be deployed down the stretch. Malloy gives the Tigers a third right-handed bat – along with Andy Ibáñez and Jahmai Jones – which can be valuable when they are facing left-handed pitching.

Malloy hit .208 with a home run and 16 RBI across 46 games for the Tigers at the start of the season before being demoted to Triple-A Toledo. There, he hit his stride and slugged .317 with 18 doubles, eight homers and 51 RBI in 66 games while posting a .934 OPS. Against lefties, he hit .281 with a pair of homers and 22 RBI.

There's a lot left to play out over the next few weeks, including the potential return of injured players like Matt Vierling and Parker Meadows. But if Malloy can come close to duplicating his Triple-A numbers during September with the Tigers, particularly against left-handed pitching, he will give himself a decent chance of making the postseason roster.

As for the plan with Lee? Welcome to the pitching carousel.

More Tigers content from Motor City Bengals