Call-Up Season: Detroit Tigers Look to Expand Roster

On Tuesday the Tigers, along with every other big league team, will be able to expand their 25-man roster if they feel the need.  From Opening Day through August 31, teams may only have 25 players on their roster at any given time. 

However, once you get to September a team can call-up any player from their 40-man roster and give them a quick cameo in the big leagues.  It’s how we all got our first looks at guys like Curtis Granderson (2004) and Ryan Raburn (2004).

The rule is almost entirely in place so that struggling teams can give the young talent a shot.  Teams that are in pennant races, like the Tigers, usually won’t call-up too many young guys for the stretch run.  However, Lynn Henning has a piece in the Detroit News on who we may see in Detroit this September.

Henning speculates that Jeremy Bonderman, Zach Simons, and Dusty Ryan are the three players most likely to get called up.  This really isn’t all that exciting since Ryan and Bonderman have already spent plenty time in Detroit the last two seasons.

Of course, it will be nice to see what Bonderman is working with and if he could be any help if the Tigers make the playoffs.

Ryan, if he does get the call, will probably get a few more at-bats at the catcher position as the Tigers try to figure out who will backup Gerald Laird in the postseason.  Alex Avila had a great start but has since sputtered.

Simons would be the only player in that trio that has never played in the big leagues.  The Tigers got Simons in the Jason Grilli deal over a year ago and has been dynamite out of the bullpens in both Erie and Toledo this season.  Simons is a righty and has given up only three HRs all season in 66 innings of work.  You can never have too many bullpen arms.

Henning writes that the Tigers will call-up between three and five players with Freddy Dolsi and Brent Clevlen also on the verge of getting a call from the big club.  Dolsi has played a bit with the Tigers the past two seasons, but has never really “wowed” anyone.

Clevlen strikes out a ton but was once considered one of the Tigers top outfield prospects.  He’s struggle with the bat but still has a cannon in the outfield and could serve as a late-inning defensive replacement.