Detroit Tigers Sign Free Agent Right-Hander To Deal
The Detroit Tigers could be a busy team this winter.
After making an improbably deep playoff run based on where they were just months before the postseason began, this franchise has an opportunity to kick themselves out of the rebuilding phase and become perennial contenders.
Because of that, the Tigers have been featured in some different rumors centered around high-profile players like Alex Bregman to boost their infield and a handful of star pitchers who are free agents.
Whether they are able to land someone of that caliber remains to be seen, but Detroit did make a move.
Per Darragh McDonald of MLB Trade Rumors, they have signed reliever Ricky Vanasco to a minor league deal and assigned him to their Triple-A affiliate.
The right-hander was acquired by the Tigers last season in a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers before the deadline, and following being added to the active roster in September, he made two starts to close out the year where he threw two scoreless and hitless innings.
Vanasco was a 15th-round pick in 2017 by the Texas Rangers, but his career went off the rails a bit when the minor league season was canceled in 2020 and he underwent Tommy John surgery in September of that year that kept him on the shelf until 2022.
He has pitched well in the minors since he returned from injury, and now he could have an opportunity to be part of this Detroit bullpen next season after he signed this deal following his decision to become a free agent after the year.
