Trevor Rosenthal Gets Very Undeserved Call-Up By Detroit

More often than not, fringe baseball players earn a call-up to the majors because they’re pitching well. Other times, it’s strictly a numbers deal where a guy who’s been so-so is needed in a pinch. Rarely do you ever see a dude get a call-up when he’s been horrendous for an extended stretch, though, especially when there are no signs of any improvement around the corner.

But for Trevor Rosenthal in 2019, I guess anything is possible.

Rosenthal, who famously flamed out with the Washington Nationals at the end of June, was signed by Detroit despite allowing 16 earned runs and 15 walks in 6.1 innings for the Nats. He debuted in the Tigers system at Triple-A Toledo on July 1st, allowing three earned runs in just one-third of an inning. From there, it didn’t better; in six appearances, not once did he have a clean inning, and only twice did he escape without allowing a run. Overall, he posted a 10.13 ERA in Toledo.

On Monday, however, after failing to pitch scoreless innings in his two most recent appearances, the Tigers called him up to the majors.

Maybe, they’re just trying to get this experiment over with. If he has a few bad outings for the big club, they can release him outright and move on. If he magically regains his control and command, it’s a win. Either way, make sure to check the box score for Tigers’ games over the next few days. They could be fun to look at.