The Tigers transferred center fielder Anthony Gose from Triple-A Toledo to Double-A Erie on Wednesday after he got into a dugout argument with Mud Hens manager Lloyd McClendon during a game Saturday night.
Gose also served a three-day suspension from Sunday to Tuesday, according to a statement from the Tigers.
"After collectively evaluating the situation in Toledo, we spoke with Anthony and emphasized our organization's expectations of him," Tigers general manager Al Avila said in the statement. "Most importantly, Anthony's transfer to Erie is a move to give him a fresh start to his overall performance as he works his way back to Detroit."
Gose was Detroit's Opening Day center fielder and held the role for most of the first six weeks of the season, batting .209 (19-for-91) with two home runs and seven RBIs before Cameron Maybin's recovery from a broken wrist allowed the Tigers to send Gose to Toledo. While Maybin has become a presence in the field and the lineup in Detroit, Gose has continued to struggle, batting .185 (34-for-184) with 75 strikeouts in 50 games for the Mud Hens.
The action that led to Gose's latest move wasn't at the plate. After a fly ball fell between Gose and teammate JaCoby Jones in the Toledo outfield, McClendon met Gose in the dugout about his defense. The ensuing argument led to McClendon sending the 25-year-old home in the middle of a Saturday doubleheader, as first reported by John Wagner of the Toledo Blade. Jones, too, was benched for not running out a popup.
Gose was not in the Mud Hens' clubhouse Sunday for their final game before the All-Star break, according to Wagner, adding tension to what some viewed initially as a heat-of-the-moment incident. At that point, Tigers officials planned to discuss the situation over the All-Star break. The resulting move will be Gose's first Double-A work since 2011, when he was the everyday center fielder at age 20 for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats in the Blue Jays' system.
Toronto traded Gose to Detroit after the 2014 campaign in exchange for Devon Travis. The Tigers acquired Gose to fill the center-field void created after trading Austin Jackson to Seattle as part of the David Price trade. Gose batted .254 (123-for-485) with a .688 OPS, 73 runs scored and a team-high total of 23 stolen bases. The Tigers acquired Maybin last fall as a right-handed bat to push or share playing time with Gose in center.
Gose's spot in Toledo will likely be filled by veteran Major Leaguer Alex Presley, signed last weekend to a Minor League contract.