Tigers Select Tanner Rainey

The Tigers announced they have selected the contract of right-hander Tanner Rainey. He takes the active roster spot of left-hander Enmanuel De Jesus, who has been placed on the paternity list. The 40-man roster had a vacancy, so no further moves are required.

Rainey, 33, signed a minor league deal with the Tigers last summer. He got added to the roster in September and made two appearances late in the season. He was non-tendered after the campaign and then re-signed on a minor league deal.

He has been with Triple-A Toledo all season and has been performing well. He has thrown 42 2/3 innings over 39 appearances, allowing 2.32 earned runs per nine. His 14.5% walk rate is extremely high but his 33.5% strikeout rate is very impressive and his 41.1% ground ball rate is around average.

That is a rough approximation for how his big league career has gone. He has 199 innings under his belt, mostly with the Nationals, with a 5.52 ERA. He has punched out 27.6% of opponents he has faced but has also given a free pass to 15% of them.

He will give the Tigers another bullpen arm while De Jesus is away. Since Rainey has at least five years of big league service time, he can’t be optioned to the minors without his consent. If Rainey is bumped off the active roster when De Jesus comes back, he’ll have to be removed from the 40-man as well, though the Tigers also have optionable arms in the bullpen and could opt to keep Rainey around.