Tigers sign former Giants lefty reliever who had impressive 2022 stretch

A former top pitching prospect whose last two seasons were derailed by injuries is getting a second chance to revive his career in the Detroit Tigers' system.

According to Evan Woodbery of MLive.com, the Tigers agreed to a minor league contract with left-hander Thomas Szapucki. The 28-year-old, who hasn't pitched in the Majors since 2022, will report straight to minor league camp and begin the work to build back up after injuries limited him to just one professional inning from 2023-24.

Originally selected by the New York Mets in the fifth round of the 2015 MLB Draft, Szapucki was once a highly regarded prospect who made his MLB debut with the Mets in 2021. His maiden voyage was short and forgettable, as he got shelled for six earned runs over 3 2/3 innings in relief in a 20-2 Mets loss. His first career MLB start in 2022 wasn't much better, as he was shelled for nine runs in just 1 1/3 innings.

Tigers sign former Giants lefty reliever who had impressive 2022 stretch

Szapucki appeared to be on the up and up after he was traded to the San Francisco Giants a few months later as part of the deal that sent Darin Ruf back to the Mets. In 13 2/3 innings for the Giants in 2022, Szapucki pitched to a stellar 1.98 ERA, 29.6% strikeout rate and 7.4% walk rate. He also had a 3.11 ERA in 25 minor league outings (16 starts).

However, things took a turn for the worse in 2023 when Szapucki started the season on the injured list after experiencing arm discomfort during the spring. He underwent surgery in May of that year to alleviate thoracic outlet syndrome, which sidelined him for the remainder of the season. The Giants non-tendered Szapucki after the 2023 season before quickly re-signing him to a minor league deal, but his comeback bid in 2024 fell short as shoulder injuries limited him to just one inning.

All told, Szapucki brings a career 2.87 minor league ERA to the Tigers organization, including a 3.47 ERA with a 28.8% strikeout rate in 114 innings at the Triple-A level. If he can stay healthy – and that's a big "if" – there's reason to believe he can provide some viable bullpen depth in Triple-A Toledo.

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