Tigers president says he wants veteran starter ready to compete in Lakeland next spring
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Spencer Turnbull throws to first during the second inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Thursday, April 6, 2023, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)AP
DETROIT — Spencer Turnbull’s tumultuous 2023 season is over, but not his tenure with the Detroit Tigers.
Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris this week said that he expects Turnbull to come to spring training ready to compete for a job in the starting rotation.
That would suggest that non-tendering Turnbull — or declining to offer him a contract for 2024 — is not on the table.
“You guys heard me talk many times about how talented Spencer is,” Harris said. “We’ve seen flashes of it in this organization. We’ve got to find a way to get the best version out of Spencer. It starts with reflecting on the season and then planning for the offseason and making sure he shows up in Lakeland ready to compete for a job.”
There are not a lot of positives to reflect on from 2023, and it remains to be seen whether the Tigers and Turnbull will able to resolve the fractured relationship and mutual distrust that simmered below the surface.
Turnbull, once one of the Tigers’ top starters, missed all of last season after undergoing Tommy John elbow surgery in 2021.
He stumbled out of the gate in his comeback season and the Tigers optioned him to Toledo in May after only seven starts.
Turnbull then reported a neck injury and five days later, on May 12, the Tigers rescinded the option and placed Turnbull on the injured list.
In late July, the Tigers sent Turnbull on a minor-league rehab. When the 30-day assignment expired, the Tigers formally optioned him to Toledo rather than bring him back to the big-league club.
Turnbull never made it back to the big leagues and he remains just short of five years of Major League service time.
That’s significant because it means Turnbull remains under team control in 2024 and 2025, and the Tigers will still be able to freely option him to the minor leagues next season.
Turnbull is unlikely to make more than $3 million in 2024, so he remains relatively affordable. The reasonable salary — combined with team control through 2025 — could make him an attractive trade chip at some point.
If the starting rotation is crowded next spring, the Tigers could also nudge Turnbull to the bullpen, either as a short reliever or in a hybrid role.
TIGERS’ POTENTIAL STARTERS NEXT SPRING
(who were on the roster in 2023)
Tarik Skubal
Reese Olson
Matt Manning
Casey Mize
Alex Faedo
Joey Wentz
Spencer Turnbull
Sawyer Gipson-Long
Tyler Alexander
Beau Brieske
Mason Englert
