Slater granted unconditional release as Tigers' roster takes shape

LAKELAND, Fla. -- The Tigers won’t make their final Opening Day roster decisions until after they leave Florida, but they had an early decision to make on Austin Slater. Detroit granted the veteran outfielder his unconditional release after he exercised the release clause in his contract on Saturday.

It was the expected outcome for Slater, who joined the Tigers as a non-roster invitee to camp on a Minor League contract but was stuck behind Jahmai Jones and Matt Vierling among right-handed-hitting outfielders with a track record of success against left-handed pitching.

“He’s a good player,” manager A.J. Hinch said Saturday morning. “It’s easy to see why teams have always really liked him. He brings experience, he brings skill, he’s a good defender, he’s a good baserunner, he’s a very good hitter. For a role that he has generally played over the last few years, he’s very adaptable.”

Slater signed his Minor League deal on Feb. 12, but the nine-year Major League veteran had the right to ask for his release if the Tigers didn’t put him on their roster by March 21, five days before Opening Day. The 33-year-old said earlier in the week he didn’t want to think about the opt-out clause until the deadline, but by then his roster situation was already apparent.

Slater had a solid camp, batting .267 (8-for-30) with three doubles, a home run and four RBIs. But while Jones entered Saturday batting 3-for-18 in Grapefruit League play, he just finished a standout performance for Korea in the World Baseball Classic, and crushed left-handed pitching last year for a .970 OPS with the Tigers to forge a role as Detroit’s lefty nemesis of choice.

Jones is out of Minor League options. Had the Tigers kept Slater over Jones, he would’ve quickly found a spot on another MLB roster.

Vierling, meanwhile, has been one of the shining stars of Tigers camp, batting .304 (14-for-46) with five doubles, a triple, two home runs and 10 RBIs in 16 games. He can play all three outfield positions, as well as third and first base, making him a better fit in Hinch’s versatile lineup plans.

That left Slater on the outside looking in. With right-handed-hitting role players in demand, it made sense to take his spring performance and go back on the open market.

“Not a lot to not like when it comes to how he fits on Major League rosters,” Hinch said. “We have a couple of guys who fit in that same category.”

Or as Hinch said later, “It’s nothing against him. It’s more of support for the two weapons we do have who are similarly cast on this team as Austin.”

Glove works for Greene
Riley Greene spent his final day of camp going through his usual care routine with his outfield glove, which is finally broken in to his liking after a Spring Training’s worth of pounding. It was the first time Greene has had to break in a glove in camp after former teammate Tyler Alexander and former hitting coach Keith Beauregard had done so in past years, using it in batting practice.

Greene shouldn’t have to worry about it going forward. Assistant pitching coach and fellow lefty Juan Nieves, back from his stint with Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic, will help break in Greene’s backup glove this season.

Rogers resume activity
Catcher Jake Rogers remains in concussion protocol, but he took an encouraging step Saturday morning, doing pregame hitting work in the cage, then running and throwing before catching a bullpen session.

“He seems to be doing better and better every day,” Hinch said. “He had a full-volume day today and reported feeling really good.”

Rogers will travel with the team to Arizona, where Detroit will wrap up Spring Training with two games against the Rockies. The Tigers will also bring projected Triple-A catchers Tomás Nido and Eduardo Valencia in case Rogers does not clear concussion protocol by Opening Day.

Gleyber scratched
The Tigers scratched Gleyber Torres from Saturday’s lineup with lower back tightness, but he’s expected to be ready to play Monday against the Rockies in Scottsdale, Ariz. He had been scheduled to play at DH, but Spencer Torkelson stepped in.