LAKELAND, FL – The Detroit Tigers reassigned four players to minor league camp Friday, Feb. 27, in the first round of spring training cuts, leaving 61 players remaining in MLB camp (not including players on the 60-day injured list).
There are 27 days until Opening Day 2026, when the Tigers face the San Diego Padres on March 26.
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The Tigers sent down Phil Bickford, Dugan Darnell, Tyler Owens and Troy Watson. All of them are injured right-handed relievers on minor-league contracts.
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Detroit Tigers pitcher Dugan Darnell practices during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026.
The most notable player from the list of cuts is Darnell, who was born and raised in Northville. The 28-year-old made his MLB debut in August 2025 with the Colorado Rockies, but he continues to recover from left hip labral repair surgery.
Keep an eye out for Darnell’s return to games in May 2026.
In 2025, Darnell posted a 3.86 ERA with seven walks and five strikeouts across 11⅔ innings in nine relief appearances for the Rockies. He also had a 3.19 ERA over 53⅔ innings in 35 games for Triple-A Albuquerque.
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Bickford, 30, is rehabbing from a right triceps strain; Owens, 25, is throwing bullpen sessions in his return from right hip arthroscopy; and Watson, 28, is completing a return-to-play throwing progression in his recovery from right elbow arthroscopy.
Of the four, only Watson is awaiting his MLB debut.
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Bickford – a two-time first-round draft pick – has the most experience in the big leagues, posting a 4.62 ERA across 189 innings in 187 games during his five-year MLB career, though he spent the entire 2025 season at the Triple-A level.
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He was selected No. 10 overall in the 2013 draft by the Toronto Blue Jays out of Oaks Christian High School in Westlake, California, then No. 18 overall in the 2015 draft by the San Francisco Giants from College of Southern Nevada.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers make first round of 2026 spring training cuts