Manager Ron Gardenhire was surprised on Monday when the Detroit Tigers traded outfielder Cameron Maybin for the Chicago Cubs.
He usually meets with General Manager Al Avila to discuss business before the final decision is in the hands of his boss. But this was a 4pm last minute trade. There was no time to talk.
“Really, this one came out of nowhere,” Gardenhire said on Tuesday. “We talked about it a while ago but suddenly they came and approached and Al was talking to them. … Al called me and told me he went ahead and made the deal.”
This is the third time the Tigers Maybin act. It was involved in the package to acquire Miguel Cabrera from the Miami Marlins in 2007 and shipped to Los Angeles in 2016.
The 33-year-old was a voice of reason for his teammates during his last two stints in Detroit.
“It’s always nice when someone wants you, another team,” said Gardenhire. “That means you put something on the table and he did it here. … He’s been doing this for a long time, so he meant a lot. It’s a loss to us.”
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The Tigers received the 25-year-old infield prospect Zack Short on Monday and chose him as an alternative training location in Toledo. The Tigers couldn’t justify Maybin, who had a one-year contract, mixing reps with others in the right field and being on the 10-day list of injured.
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Maybin has cut .244 / .311 / .415 in 14 games for the Tigers this season. His 14 years of experience would have helped in the post-season hunt. And yet the organization feels comfortable with a combination of Jorge Bonifacio, Victor Reyes and Travis Demeritte, who joined the 28-man squad on Tuesday. Christin Stewart stays in right field and JaCoby Jones stays in midfield.
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“He’s been a huge influence for us in the locker room and on the field in terms of preparation and has shown young people what it’s like to be a pro,” said Jones on Tuesday. “When I got called to the big leagues, he was like a big brother to me. When he came back here he still was. He’s like a big brother to everyone, honestly.
“One of the best team-mates I’ve ever had so we will miss him very much.”
Castro: I’ll play anywhere
Due to the rookie third-party base Isaac Paredes, the Tigers couldn’t get that many bats to 23-year-old Willi Castro. To fix the problem, they turned Castro, who is also third party, into a user role, which means he will play inside and outside the field.
Castro has started working with first base trainer and outfielder instructor Dave Clark. Gardenhire has been impressed with the progress, and Avila believes Castro will soon be on the outfield.
“Being on the outfield may open a few more doors,” said Castro. “Anywhere I go, I’ll play as it is and try to be good there. I have to get a little better on the outfield, but I know I’ll get it soon. It’s a process. Just practice . “”
In 11 games, Castro hits with two homers and five RBIs .314. On his MLB debut in 2019, he was ranked number 11 of the club according to the MLB Pipeline.
If the Tigers decide to switch through 30 games from shortstop Niko Goodrum, a .194 hitter, a full-time spot in the middle of the infield would open up for Castro and Paredes would remain on third base until further notice.
“Sometimes you’ll live with some of these fights,” Gardenhire said of Goodrum. “Hopefully he’ll find his way out and get a better swing going, but he’s playing such a good defense for us. And we win ball games.
“If we lost ball games and went through that it could make a difference. But we win ball games with that combination in the middle (including second base player Jonathan Schoop) and I’m really happy with that part of it.”
Injury updates
C Austin Romine: The Tigers held out Romine for the second straight year (over a three-day period) and began backing Grayson Greiner for Tuesday’s game against the Brewers.
INF / OF Harold Castro: He performs all baseball activities on the field and switches to basic practice. He has been on the 10-day list of those injured with strain on the left Achilles tendon since August 19.
RHP Ivan Nova: He is finishing the long throwing section of his rehabilitation and will soon begin throwing the mound. Nova has been on the list of 10-day injuries with right triceps tendonitis since August 15.
RHP Jordan Zimmermann: He will finish the live pitching portion of his throwing progress on Friday. Zimmermann has been on the 45-day list of injured since July 18 with a load on his right forearm.
Evan Petzold is an intern in sports coverage with the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold. The Free Press has launched a new digital subscription model. How to get access to our most exclusive content from Detroit Tigers.
