Tigers make strange roster move ahead of Twins series finale

Matt Sullivan

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Tigers make strange roster move ahead of Twins series finale image

The Detroit Tigers, ahead of their series finale against the Minnesota Twins, made a roster move to shuffle up their bullpen. With an ever-changing rotation of relievers, the latest move is a strange one.

According to Chris McCosky of The Detroit News, the Tigers are recalling Brenan Hanifee and optioning Brant Hurter to Triple-A Toledo.

It's a strange move for the Tigers, as Hurter has been solid for the team this season. In his 38 appearances, with four starts, Hurter has a 2.45 ERA and a 3-3 record. Across 58.2 innings pitched, he has a 1.30 WHIP and 62 strikeouts.

His ERA is lower than a lot of the Tigers' other relievers, and yet, he's being sent down to the minor leagues. In his last nine outings, he hasn't allowed an earned run across 14.2 innings of work.

Hanifee, meanwhile, has a 3.10 ERA this season for the Tigers across 46 games and 52.1 innings pitched. The 27-year-old right-hander has -0.3 WAR this season, but he has a solid 135 ERA+ on the year overall.

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Hurter has 0.5 WAR this season in 38 games with a 170 ERA+. He's been one of the best Tigers relievers over the past two years, including a 2.58 ERA across 45.1 innings of work in 2024, and a 0.00 ERA in the postseason for Detroit.

The 26-year-old left-handed reliever being optioned to Triple-A at this point in the season is a very strange move. While the AL Central division looks to be in safe hands despite the Cleveland Guardians shrinking the gap, the Tigers should still utilize their best relievers.

Hurter is undeniably one of their best, and yet, he's been sent down to the minor leagues. He should be a big part of the bullpen come October, but for now, he's heading back down to Triple-A as Hanifee takes his place.

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Matt Sullivan

Matt Sullivan is a freelance writer for The Sporting News, predominantly covering MLB. Matt is a native of Pennsylvania and has worked with Athlon Sports, Last Word on Sports, and other outlets.