Tigers make bullpen roster move to specifically address Guardians series

The Detroit Tigers made the first of what could be a series of roster moves this week when they recalled left-handed reliever Brant Hurter from Triple-A Toledo on Monday.

To clear space on the active roster for Hurter, right-hander Brenan Hanifee was optioned to Toledo in a corresponding move and will therefore be unavailable to the Tigers for the rest of the regular season unless he replaces an injured player. Hanifee is merely a roster crunch casualty, with veteran bullpen arms like Tommy Kahnle, Rafael Montero, Chris Paddack and Jose Urquidy unable to be optioned; but he will still be eligible to return for the postseason.

The addition of Hurter gives the Tigers a trio of southpaws in their bullpen, including Bailey Horn and Tyler Holton. This is hardly a coincidence, as Detroit is set to face a lefty-heavy Cleveland Guardians lineup this week in a three-game series with a chance to win the American League Central Division for the first time since 2014.

The Guardians are hitting .224/.291/.358 (.648 OPS) against left-handed pitching in 2025, as opposed to .225/.298/.376 (.674 OPS) against righties. The difference might seem inconsequential at first blush, but their left-handed hitters really struggle against lefty pitchers, to the tune of a .209/.276/.289 line. The Tigers are doing whatever they can to gain an edge over their division rivals and put an end to the AL Central race with a series sweep.

Tigers call up lefty reliever Brant Hurter in first of several potential bullpen moves this week

Hurter will return to the Tigers for the first time since Aug. 17, when he was sent down Toledo only to be sidelined with back discomfort before even making it into a game. He finally returned to the mound on Sept. 6 and has made three appearances since.

Hurter, who made his MLB debut last August, has a 2.51 ERA in 104 career innings with 100 strikeouts and 33 walks. He’s a strong candidate to make the Tigers’ playoff roster (as is Hanifee, who has pitched five straight scoreless outings and has a 3.00 ERA in 60 innings of work this season).

More moves could be on the horizon for the Tigers this week, with veteran relievers Paul Sewald and Kyle Finnegan both expected to return from the injured list soon. And that's not all – outfielder Matt Vierling is also nearing a return, potentially creating some more difficult roster decisions for the Tigers down the final stretch of the season.