Worth accepts assignment to Triple-A Toledo

DETROIT -- Tigers shortstop Danny Worth, designated for assignment earlier in the week to make room for Eugenio Suarez, decided to accept an outright assignment to Triple-A Toledo and is expected to join the Mud Hens soon.

As a player who was designated for assignment for a second time, Worth had the option to decline the assignment and opt for free agency. Considering Worth has been moved back and forth between Detroit and Toledo eight times since 2012, the decision would've been understandable.

The tradeoff would've been giving up a Major League contract, which still pays him even though he was taken off the 40-man roster. Though another team would've surely signed him if he hit the open market, there's no guarantee they would've signed him to a big league deal.

Worth played 20 games for the Tigers before the move, batting 7-for-42 with a double, five RBIs, two walks and 12 strikeouts. He made 11 starts at shortstop without an error, and he pitched two innings in relief to help out a short bullpen. Though Worth's success throwing a knuckleball has set up the question of whether he could try pitching full-time, team president/general manager Dave Dombrowski said earlier this week that it hasn't been discussed.