Two late Tigers cuts could still make key contributions in 2024

Tuesday must have been a hard day for Detroit Tigers pitchers Beau Brieske and Matt Manning.

It was a hard day across MLB, in fact. With just days to go before Opening Day, clubs around the league had to cut their rosters to 26 players.

Competing for a relief spot and a starting spot respectively, Brieske and Manning were among those cut from Detroit's big-league roster. Brieske was competing with Alex Faedo and Joey Wentz for a spot in the Tigers' bullpen while Manning was competing with Casey Mize and Reese Olson for the final two spots in the starting rotation.

Brieske, a 25-year-old righty, and Manning a 26-year-old righty, will now be optioned to Triple-A Toledo, but that's not expected to be the end of their run with the Tigers this season. In fact, manager A.J. Hinch believes the two pitchers will be a valuable part of the strategy for the Tigers this season — at least in terms of depth and having arms ready to go down on the farm.

"It's good for the organizational health," Hinch said, per Evan Petzold of The Detroit Free Press. "It's good for the next wave that we know we're going to need. We don't want to talk like that on a day where we're celebrating the 26 that are going on with us, but the realities. I said to the team this morning, 'The people that are in this clubhouse are breaking with us. There are a lot of people who aren't that are still a part of this clubhouse from a distance,' specifically referring to Beau and Matt, who were two of the tougher conversations this spring."

Manning's ERA was 3.38 this spring over 16 innings. He gave up just eight hits, but six of them were for home runs. If he can clear that problem up in Toledo, he has a chance to be a solid spot starter for the Tigers this season.

Brieske was a bit of a surprise because he pitched 13.2 scoreless innings over seven appearances this spring, tallying nine strikeouts while giving up just three hits and two walks. He looked solid, but right now only his fastball and changeup are MLB-level pitches. If he can refine his breaking ball, he could be a valuable bullpen arm for the Tigers at some point this season.