Detroit Tigers: Daniel Norris could soon be headed to Triple-A Toledo
By Brad Faber
Although he made the Detroit Tigers starting rotation out of Spring Training, it appears that Daniel Norris may be headed to Triple-A Toledo before getting a chance to make his first big league start of 2018.
On Wednesday, the Detroit Tigers series finale against the Kansas City Royals was postponed due to inclement weather. It was already the third instance of such an event for the Tigers this season.
If the Tigers would have played, Daniel Norris would have been making his first start of the season. According to Evan Woodbery of MLive, the Tigers will now skip him in the rotation, as opposed to pushing his start back.
Per Woodbery, the Tigers will send Norris to the bullpen when they begin their series with the Chicago White Sox on Thursday. The second two games in the series will be played on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. However, Norris, who still has an option remaining, could be sent to Triple-A Toledo on Sunday following the expected activation of Mike Fiers from the disabled list.
Fiers, who has has been out with a back injury, had a very rough spring training. Through four starts in the Grapefruit League, he posted a 9.53 ERA and a 1.59 WHIP.
Norris or Fiers?
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Considering that the Tigers signed Fiers to a one-year, $6 million deal this offseason, it makes sense that they would want to see if he can turn it around in the regular season. That said, while it is still possible that the Tigers’ investment could pay off, Fiers has struggled for a couple of years now.
Over the past two seasons with the Houston Astros, Fiers posted a 4.84 ERA through a total of 60 games (58 starts). He was left off of the Astros’ postseason roster last year. Fiers was, however, a solid pitcher as recently as 2015, when he went a combined 7-10 with a 3.69 ERA (107 ERA+) for the Milwaukee Brewers and Astros.
While it has taken a little while for Norris to “click,” he has shown flashes of great promise with the Tigers. He posted very respectable numbers in limited time in both 2015 and 2016. Norris struggled last season, but he had a nice spring, posting a 3.86 ERA over 14 innings.
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While it is tough luck for Norris if he is in fact sent back to the minor leagues, he will surely get another opportunity at some point. Still three weeks shy of his 25th birthday, Norris has all of the potential to have a very long and bright future in the major leagues with the Detroit Tigers.