The Detroit Tigers are in a pretty good spot as we reach the end of August. They have a 10.5 game lead over the Kansas City Royals in the American League Central, and they have continued to keep the Toronto Blue Jays at arm’s length in their quest to earn the No. 1 seed in the American League playoff picture.
After a breakout campaign in 2024, the Tigers have put all of the pieces of the puzzle together, and they have a collection of talented players on their roster. However, the front office is continually making moves in an effort to give the team its best shot of winning, and last week, that led to veteran utilityman Ryan Kreidler getting released. On Monday, he ended up finding a new home with a team in the National League.
Ryan Kreidler Lands with Pirates After Tigers Release
The Tigers made a move to shore up their bullpen when they promoted relief pitcher Drew Sommers to the big leagues. In order to make room for him on the 40-man roster, that resulted in Kreidler getting designated for assignment by Detroit, even though he was currently playing for Triple-A Toledo.
Kreidler has spent time with the Tigers in the majors each of the past four seasons, but he’s never been able to figure things out at the plate. While his defensive versatility and speed on the basepaths are a plus, he never got on base enough to consistently justify a spot in the big leagues. In 17 games with Detroit this season, Kreidler hit an ugly .105 at the plate, which is never going to earn you a consistent spot in the lineup.
Since getting demoted to Triple-A back in April, Kreidler has been better, hitting .251 with four home runs and 37 RBIs, but a spot for him in the majors never opened up. As a result, the team decided to move on from him, but it didn’t take long for him to get scooped up, as the Pittsburgh Pirates quickly claimed him off waivers.
Infielder/utility man Ryan Kreidler, designated for assignment by the Detroit Tigers three days ago, has been claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates,” Evan Woodbery of MLive reported. The Pirates optioned Kreidler to Triple-A Indianapolis.
Tigers Turn Attention to Upcoming Series Against Athletics
GettyTigers manager AJ Hinch
At some point, a player’s time with a team runs its course, and that appears to have been what happened with Kreidler. In a perfect world, he would have provided a little bit of production at the plate, but his struggles became too much for the team to ignore. Losing him to the Pirates is a tough blow, but it’s one the team should be able to overcome.
The best medicine in sports is winning, and that’s something the Tigers have done a lot of as of late, as they have won each of their past five series. They will look to continue their winning ways when they kick off a three-game series against the Athletics on Monday night, with first pitch being scheduled for 10:05 p.m. ET.
Recently Waived Tigers Utilityman Lands with NL Team