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Detroit Tigers option third baseman Jace Jung to Triple-A Toledo in spring training cuts
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- Detroit Tigers option third baseman Jace Jung to Triple-A Toledo in spring training cuts
LAKELAND, Fla. — Detroit Tigers rookie third baseman Jace Jung isn't making the 2025 Opening Day roster .
The Tigers optioned Jung and left-handed reliever Sean Guenther — both members of last year's postseason roster — to Triple-A Toledo before Monday's game in the fifth round of roster cuts in spring training.
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His locker was already cleaned out in the clubhouse on Monday morning at the TigerTown complex.
"All these are personal and emotional," Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said Monday in the dugout at Joker Marchant Stadium. "It just gets harder and harder as the camp goes on, because the expectations from the players are real. Jace, in particular, was very disappointed."
Without Jung, the Tigers will rotate several players at third base, with Zach McKinstry against right-handed pitchers and Andy Ibáñez against left-handed pitchers, plus potential late-game playing time for Javier Báez .
"It's going to be a timeshare, and I still believe that," Hinch said. "You will see Z-Mac there. You'll see Andy. Javy will get some time there, and then we'll see if anybody else factors in."
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Detroit Tigers infielder Jace Jung throws during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025.
Jung, 24, hit .121 (4-for-33) with one home run, four walks and 10 strikeouts across 14 games in spring training; Guenther, 29, posted a 17.18 ERA with two walks and four strikeouts across 3⅔ innings in five relief appearances.
The Tigers, however, were counting on Jung at third base after missing out on Alex Bregman in free agency .
After the Bregman saga, Hinch pulled Jung into his office at the start of camp to make sure he knew third base was his for the taking this spring.
Jung failed to capitalize on the opportunity.
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"He's got some work to do on defense," Hinch said. "I think he's got incrementally better, and he still needs to continue that."
Surprisingly, he struggled on offense more than defense.
"Obviously, his timing was off almost entirely, even the first day," Hinch said. "He ambushed a couple of balls to the pull side. But he just didn't make the adjustment timing wise to make this team."
Jung couldn't explain what went wrong at the plate.
"I've never hit like this before," Jung said Sunday morning, two hours after working on his swing in the batting cage and roughly 24 hours before the Tigers cut him. "I've never hit this low of average before. Obviously, I've gone in slumps — it's baseball. But it's weird because I feel really good, still feel really good about everything."
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With Jung headed to Triple-A, the Tigers will platoon McKinstry against right-handed pitchers and Ibáñez against left-handers at third base. In 2024, McKinstry hit .225 with a .640 OPS against righties, while Ibáñez hit .292 with an .802 OPS against lefties.
The Tigers don't have a timetable for outfielder Matt Vierling to return from his right shoulder strain, but once he's healthy after opening the season on the 10-day injured list , he could take over as the primary third baseman.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Sean Guenther throws a pitch during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Monday, Feb. 17, 2025.
Hinch expects Jung to return to the big leagues at some point, possibly soon if he finds the timing of his swing in Triple-A Toledo.
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"He's going to go to work and we'll see him soon enough," Hinch said.
The latest spring training cuts — Jung and Guenther — were both on the MLB roster when the Tigers ended their decade-long postseason drought in 2024. They were also part of the team that won the American League wild-card series against the Houston Astros before falling to the Cleveland Guardians in the ALDS.
Jung made his MLB debut in mid-August and hit .241 with 15 walks and 29 strikeouts in 34 games for the Tigers. At Toledo, he hit .257 with 14 home runs, 67 walks and 93 strikeouts over 91 games. Though he struggled defensively at third base, his bat remained a consistent strength, particularly in the quality of his plate appearances.
Guenther posted a 0.86 ERA with two walks and 12 strikeouts across 21 innings in 17 relief appearances for the Tigers in 2024. At Toledo, he had a 3.31 ERA with 15 walks and 52 strikeouts over 51⅔ innings in 39 games.
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"He's going to factor in as well," Hinch said. "I handed in the ball in some really critical moments last year because I trust him, and I still trust him."
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When Hinch met with Guenther to tell him about the bad news, Guenther didn't act surprised.
"He self-admitted that he didn't pitch well enough to make this team and state his case," Hinch said. "And now he's going to go back to work to get himself back around the strike zone, which is his calling card."
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Although there is tremendous focus on the Opening Day roster, Hinch encouraged Guenther to keep working because there is always a need for more pitching during a 162-game season.
"I encouraged him to be ready," Hinch said. "I mean, things happen fast in the season."
The Tigers need to cut 10 more players to set their 26-man Opening Day roster for March 27 against the Dodgers in Los Angeles . There are 36 players remaining in MLB spring training, not including three players on the 60-day injured list.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold . Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com . Follow him on X @seideljeff .
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers send Jace Jung to Triple-A Toledo in spring training
