Detroit — The Tigers might have to build an additional wing at their Joker Marchant Stadium clubhouse to house all the extra relief pitchers coming to camp next month.
Besides the 12 relievers currently on the 40-man roster, the club, at last count, has or is expected to invite nine more when pitchers and catchers report on Feb. 12.
The most recent addition is 32-year-old right-hander Scott Effross, who agreed to a minor-league deal Sunday, presumably with an invitation to camp.
Despite battling through three straight injury-marred seasons, Effross brings two things to the table the Tigers covet — a minor-league option and a unique arm slot. He throws a sinker-sweeper mix out of a sidearm delivery which, when he’s healthy, induces swing-and-miss and ground ball outs.
The fact that he’s held left-handed hitters to a .191 batting average in parts of four big-league seasons is also a selling point.
Effross, the Ohio native and Indiana University product, was last healthy in 2022 when, splitting the season with the Cubs and Yankees, he posted a 2.54 ERA and 1.059 WHIP with 62 strikeouts in 56.2 innings.
He missed 2023 and most of 2024 with Tommy John and back surgeries and then was shelved for several months last year with a hamstring injury.
If he can get back to form, he can impact the bullpen in the same way side-armer Chase Lee did for a stretch last season. The Tigers traded Lee to Toronto last month for minor-league lefty Johan Simon.
The Tigers checked off their top priority this offseason by signing free-agent leverage relievers Kenley Jansen (one year, $11 million) and Kyle Finnegan (two years, $19 million). They are expected to join Will Vest and Tyler Holton in the back end of manager AJ Hinch’s bullpen for 2026.
Also vying for roles are 40-man roster right-handers Beau Brieske, Brenan Hanifee, Ty Madden and Dylan Smith, plus lefties Bailey Horn, Brant Hurter and Drew Sommers. Lefty Jake Miller is on the 40-man roster, but is coming off Tommy John surgery and isn’t expected to be ready to compete at the start of camp.
“On one hand, we feel we have addressed several of our biggest needs coming into the offseason,” general manager Jeff Greenberg said last month. “We wanted to add impact arms at the back end of the ‘pen and we did that. On the other hand, we’re also going to stay open-minded to finding additional ways to make this team better.
“We feel like we’re in a position now where we can be pretty opportunistic.”
The Tigers last season used 29 different relievers, not including position players. Thus, the ever-growing fleet of versatile and unique non-roster arms coming to camp.
▶ Right-handers: Effross, Tyler Mattison (power arm, high arm slot), Jack Little (slider, splitter), Cole Waites (power sinker), Tanner Rainey (power slider), Matt Seelinger (odd flutter pitch that he calls a knuckle puck) and Troy Watson (fastball, sweeper, cutter, changeup).
▶ Left-handers: Sean Guenther (sinker, sweeper, split), Enmanuel De Jesus (riding fastball, changeup).
chris.mccosky@detroitnews.com
@cmccosky
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