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Detroit Tigers swap OF Ryan Vilade for 1B Bligh Madris: Here's why
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- Detroit Tigers swap OF Ryan Vilade for 1B Bligh Madris: Here's why
TORONTO — Bligh Madris isn't going to be the everyday first baseman of the Detroit Tigers .
Mark Canha and Gio Urshela , a pair of veterans on expiring contracts, will still get some reps at first base, but the plan is for Madris, a left-handed hitter, to play first base when he is in the lineup against right-handed pitchers.
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The Tigers promoted Madris from Triple-A Toledo before Sunday's series finale against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. He is expected to start at first base for most games — but not all games — against right-handed pitchers, just like he did in Sunday's game.
"I'm just taking it day by day," Madris said before Sunday's game. "We have a really good club down there with a really good group of guys and a great coaching staff, so it's easy to stack good days down there."
Detroit Tigers outfielder Bligh Madris practices during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024.
The Tigers could trade both Canha and Urshela — despite their below-average performances on offense — at the July 30 trade deadline. In the meantime, the arrival of Madris allows Canha to work as the designated hitter and an outfielder and Urshela to spend more time at his natural third base position.
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To get Madris on the roster, the Tigers optioned outfielder Ryan Vilade to Triple-A Toledo.
Vilade, a right-handed hitter, joined the Tigers before the All-Star break for a stretch of games against left-handed pitchers , but now that the Tigers face right-handed pitchers in each of their next 10 games, there needed to be another left-handed hitter to get an advantage with the construction of the roster.
"We needed as much balance as we could get," manager A.J. Hinch said. "He also plays first, which will free up Gio to play third, which frees up (Matt) Vierling to play a little more outfield. The DH spot, we'll still rotate amongst the group. But really, one move helped us against all these right-handed pitchers we're about to face, and defensively, getting guys playing where we'd like to play them is a good match for us."
With Triple-A Toledo, Madris hit .236 with 14 home runs, 40 walks and 76 strikeouts across 80 games in the 2024 season. He hit .241 with an .834 OPS against right-handed pitchers compared to .217 with a .698 OPS against left-handed pitchers.
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He is hitting for power more than ever before in his professional career.
"I feel like I'm tapping into it a little bit more," Madris said. "I'm trying to keep that rolling. I'm trying to take easy swings. I'm not trying to do too much. That's about it."
Joining the Tigers, Madris brings MLB experience with the Pittsburgh Pirates for 39 games in 2022 and the Houston Astros for 12 games in 2023. He has a .173 batting average with one home run, 14 walks and 38 strikeouts in his MLB career.
He is ready for his third opportunity in the big leagues.
"I feel more settled than the past two years," Madris said. "I feel more settled, and I feel more comfortable. Getting the call that you're going back to the big leagues feels good every single time, but you're able to gather yourself a little bit better each time. I feel ready to go. This is going to sound weird, but not having that big nervous feel type thing is good. I feel calm. It's huge."
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Kerry Carpenter to 60-day injured list
The Tigers transferred outfielder Kerry Carpenter , who is recovering from a lumbar spine stress fracture , to the 60-day injured list to create room for Madris on the 40-man roster.
It's just a formality.
Carpenter has already been on the injured list for 53 days, so the move to the 60-day injured list means he can't be activated until next week, but that's not happening anyway. He hopes to begin a rehab assignment at the end of July , opening the door for an August return.
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Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold .
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Here's why Detroit Tigers swapped OF Ryan Vilade for 1B Bligh Madris
