DETROIT -- Injured pitchers don’t normally move at the Trade Deadline, but Paul Sewald's experience as a closer with Seattle and Arizona and his projected return in September made him an upside add for the Tigers.
Detroit acquired the 35-year-old right-hander from American League Central-rival Cleveland for a player to be named or cash considerations on Thursday.
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Sewald has been on the 15-day injured list for much of the season with a right shoulder strain. He first went on the IL in late April, returned at the start of July, then returned to the IL around the All-Star break with what was classified as a moderate teres major strain. Sewald’s season stats are thus a small sample, but he allowed eight earned runs on 14 hits and four walks over 15 2/3 innings with 18 strikeouts.
TRADE DETAILS
Tigers receive: RHP Paul Sewald
Guardians receive: Player to be named or cash
The Guardians signed Sewald in January to a one-year, $7 million contract with a $10 million mutual option for 2026. He spent much of the previous four seasons as a closer, including notching 16 saves for the Diamondbacks last year before his season ended in September with a neck injury.
Like Wednesday’s trade for Rafael Montero, the Sewald deal is a low-risk, high-reward move for a veteran reliever with postseason experience. In Sewald’s case, the risk is health. He saved 34 games during his last full season between Seattle and Arizona, then six games during the Diamondbacks’ run to the World Series.
To make room for Sewald on the 40-man roster, right-hander Matt Manning was designated for assignment, potentially ending the former first-round pick’s Tigers tenure after parts of four seasons in Detroit. The ninth overall selection in the 2016 MLB Draft has spent the entire season at Triple-A Toledo, where he posted a 6.04 ERA over 31 games with 37 walks and 52 strikeouts over 50 2/3 innings.
Manning went 11-15 with a 4.43 ERA over 50 career starts in Detroit. He provided 6 2/3 hitless innings in a combined no-hitter on July 8, 2023. But injuries slowed his career, and he moved to the bullpen full-time after undergoing hip surgery last September.