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Tigers sign RHP Tyler Kinley, demote Ty Madden to Triple-A
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- Tigers sign RHP Tyler Kinley, demote Ty Madden to Triple-A
The Detroit Tigers have added a new reliever to the mix.
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch announced ahead of the series opener against the Tampa Bay Rays the team has signed right-handed reliever Tyler Kinley . He will be immediately active on Monday night.
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To make room for Kinley on both the 26-man and 40-man rosters, the Tigers designated Triple-A reliever Ricky Vanasco for assignment and sent right-handed reliever Ty Madden to Toledo.
Kinley, 35, has pitched 42⅔ innings across 49 appearances in 2026 as a member of the Atlanta Braves . He has a 4.01 ERA, a 6-5 record and 42 strikeouts. The Braves designated him for assignment earlier in the week.
Atlanta Braves reliever Tyler Kinley (45) pitches the ball against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the ninth inning at Truist Park in Cumberland, Georgia, on Aug. 14, 2026.
"He's going to be active tonight," Hinch said. "He brings a really good slider and some experience."
The hope is Kinley will help the Tigers (61-69) against right-handed hitting out of the bullpen. He will be part of the equation against Tampa , which boasts the best record in the American League and an offense led by righty slugger Junior Caminero .
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Hinch added that the Tigers (61-69) have had past interest in Kinley in free agency periods because of his effectiveness against righties.
"We have right-handed pitchers in our 'pen," Hinch said. "We haven't necessarily handled right-handed hitters as consistently as we want to and so that was the draw. We talked to Kinley in the past. We've looked into him when he was a free agent and had interest in him because of the exact skill set."
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The decision to demote Madden came down to a numbers game before rosters expand by two spots in the final month of the season. Hinch said there is a chance Madden is back in the late-season pitching equation after his 15-day stay with Triple-A Toledo is complete.
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Madden had a 3.46 ERA in 39 innings across 17 major league appearances in a long relief role. He missed all of 2025 with a shoulder injury.
"The season is not over for him," Hinch said. "He's got to be down for 15 days and then we will see how September goes. If we use these roster spots back and forth on freshness or different opponents, he could very well find his way back here."
Contact Jared Ramsey at jramsey@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tigers sign RHP Tyler Kinley, demote Ty Madden to Triple-A
