3 Detroit Tigers who won’t be on the roster by May 1

Detroit Tigers who won’t be on the roster: Will Vest

Will Vest is on the 40-man roster and currently down in Triple-A Toledo, where he continues to struggle. The last month of the 2022 and into spring training, Vest has had trouble with command and giving up hard contact.

He posted a FIP of 6.11 in September and in spring training; he allowed 13 runs and 13 hits in just four innings of work. There was a reason the Tigers continued to look at relievers for depth late in March, even taking a flyer on Trevor Rosenthal, who until spring training, has not pitched since 2021.

In Toledo, there are multiple options available for Detroit to enhance their bullpen, which has already experienced significant work. Two potential candidates are RHP Miguel Diaz and RHP Brenan Hanifee.

RHP Miguel Diaz had a strong spring training, limiting opposing hitters to a meager .156 batting average while garnering 15 strikeouts in nine innings pitched. Diaz has garnered significant praise from both manager A.J. Hinch and other members of the Tigers organization. In Toledo, Diaz has continued to perform well, allowing only three hits and striking out seven in 4.2 innings of work.

RHP Brenan Hanifee is currently a starter for Toledo, which may benefit the Tigers, as he could serve as a long reliever or a starter in Detroit. While Alex Faedo is another potential option, the Tigers may prefer to use him as a starter rather than a reliever, given that he is returning from an injury. Hanifee is not currently on the 40-man roster.

Vest’s velocity and spin rate on his pitches have dropped, which could explain his ineffectiveness. We will see how the Tigers approach these players over the next few weeks.