Detroit Tigers Shockingly Option Rookie Expected To Have Major Role This Season
The Detroit Tigers are shaking some things up with their big league roster.
According to a release from the team, the Tigers have optioned both infielder Jace Jung and left-handed pitcher Sean Guenther to Triple-A, bringing the MLB camp roster now to 39 players with less than two weeks until Opening Day.
Guenther's demotion is not a surprise given his struggles throughout the spring. The lefty has a 17.18 ERA through five appearances and 3.2 innings pitched. There was hope entering the year he could be due for a huge season out of the bullpen after he posted a blazing 0.86 ERA in 17 appearances down the stretch of 2024, but it has not translated to the spring.
Jung being optioned, however, is a major shock.
After the Tigers missed out on signing Alex Bregman, Jung was thought to have tremendous chance to be the team's starting third baseman.
Detroit was in desperate need of someone to step up and seize the hot corner, but Jung has been dreadful at the plate thus far in camp.
Slashing .121/.216/.273, he has an OPS below .500 and just four hits in 33 at-bats and has not been squaring the ball up well.
It was a development concerning enough for the team to be convinced Jung needs some time in Triple-A -- at least to begin the year -- to tune his swing back up and figure out how to be more consistent at the plate.
In an ideal world for the Tigers, Jung was going to seize the starting role this season.
Even though he is a natural second baseman, the crippling need at third base for the team led many to suspect Jung would simply slot right in after he played 34 games for Detroit at the end of last season, but it appears he has more work to do in order to prove he is ready to be an every day player in the Majors.
Though he struggled last season as well, it was revealed after the year he was dealing with a wrist injury which limited his ability at the plate, though Jung did not take much of a step in camp even though he is healthy.
As for what this means at third base for the Tigers, it's likely a platoon system once again.
Javier Baez has seen some work at third. Zach McKinstry and Andy Ibáñez are also in the mix as Detroit will have to roll with a makeshift situation at one of the most important positions on the field.
Jung will have the chance again, but he's going to have to prove it in Toledo in order for that to happen.
