The Detroit Tigers have announced that right-hander Chris Paddack will transition to the bullpen following a series of underwhelming performances. This decision comes as the Tigers sit at the top of the American League Central with an impressive record of 80 wins, but face challenges in their starting rotation.
Despite a strong start to the season, the Tigers struggled through July but rebounded with a 16-12 record in August. While the team did not make major acquisitions at the trade deadline, they secured several pitchers, including Charlie Morton and Kyle Finnegan, with Paddack being one of the key additions from the Minnesota Twins on July 28. The trade saw Paddack and Randy Dobnak come to Detroit in exchange for prospect Enrique Jimenez.
Paddack’s journey with the Tigers has been rocky. During his time with the Twins, he recorded a 4.95 ERA over 111 innings and struck out 83 batters. However, since joining Detroit, his performance has declined sharply. Over six outings, he has posted a 5.40 ERA and managed only 14 strikeouts in 30 innings, resulting in a negative bWAR of -0.2. This marked decrease in effectiveness prompted the Tigers to reassess their rotation strategy.
New Role for Paddack
Following a report on August 29 by The Athletic‘s Cody Stavenhagen, the Tigers decided to move Paddack to the bullpen, a role he has never held on a full-time basis in his career. In the meantime, Sawyer Gipson-Long will step into the rotation, despite a challenging outing where he allowed six earned runs over four innings against the New York Mets.
This shift comes at a time when the Tigers are looking to bolster an already thin rotation. The team relies heavily on ace Tarik Skubal, while Casey Mize, despite being an All-Star, has struggled with a nearly 4.00 ERA. The rotation depth has been a concern, particularly with injuries sidelining key players like Jackson Jobe and Reese Olson.
Paddack’s move to the bullpen may offer him a fresh start. Having reached a career-high of 141 innings this season, the 29-year-old has shown flashes of potential since his breakout year in 2019. The hope within the organization is that this change could allow him to harness his pitching skills more effectively.
In a somber turn of events, Paddack will not be with the team for at least three days following a death in his family. Detroit is expected to place him on the bereavement list ahead of their upcoming game.
As the Tigers aim for postseason contention, the performance of their pitching staff will be crucial. The hope is that Paddack’s transition to a relief role will not only benefit him but also solidify the team’s overall pitching strategy as they approach the final stretch of the season.
