The Detroit Tigers on Thursday announced the team's 20th general manager in club history is Jeff Greenberg. Greenberg was the Chicago Blackhawks' assistant GM but got his start in baseball. This marks the first time since 2002 that Detroit has a President of Baseball Operations and General Manager, when Randy Smith was the general manager and Dave Dombrowski was the President of Baseball Operations.
According to the team's press release, prior to joining the Blackhawks, Greenberg spent 11 seasons with the Chicago Cubs, including his final three seasons as an Assistant General Manager. He also held roles as Director of Pro Scouting and Baseball Operations, Director of Baseball Operations and Assistant to the General Manager. While with the Cubs, Greenberg played a key role in creating the systems and strategies that helped the Cubs scout and develop talent, leading to five postseason appearances during his tenure, including the 2016 World Series championship.
"It's an extraordinary honor to take on this role with one of the most historic franchises in Major League Baseball," said Greenberg. "Throughout my conversations with Scott, Chris Ilitch and the rest of the team with the Tigers, it became clear that this organization is headed in a great direction with an incredible culture of development and innovation that I'm excited to be part of. Another constant message in those conversations was that Tigers fans want to see winning baseball deep into October. I'm excited to get to work with our front office on off-season and longer-term plans to make that our reality."
With the front office staff now firmly in place, here are the first three moves Greenberg should make as the team's new general manager.
1. Address the Detroit Tigers starting pitching rotation
With Eduardo Rodriguez able to opt-out after the season is over and Casey Mize set to return after a pair of surgeries, Greenberg's first order of business is to figure out how to build the rotation for 2024.
Mize faced live batters Tuesday during Detroit's West Coast road trip, a positive sign. However, the No. 1 pick from the 2018 MLB Draft is expected to be eased back into the rotation. Matt Manning, who suffered another injury to his right foot when he got hit by a 119.5 MPH comebacker against the Yankees off the bat of Giancarlo Stanton.
While Detroit's pitching development staff has seen some major wins with right-hander Reese Olson, left-hander Tarik Skubal and most recently, right-hander Sawyer Gipson-Long, the Tigers depth beyond that suffers a bit of a drop-off.
If Rodriguez returns, which version will the Tigers get? Will it be the pitcher who posted a 2.64 ERA before the All-Star break, or the current version with a 4.57 ERA? He was recently injured in his last start against the Dodgers but is expected to make his next start against Oakland. Will Greenberg turn to farm system starters like Ty Madden, Jackson Jobe or Keider Montero, who have been among the most consistent arms on the prospect side this season? Are they ready for the big leagues, or will he need to make trades to bolster the starting rotation?
2. Who is playing third base for the Detroit Tigers in 2024?
Nine different players have started at third base for the Tigers in 2023, including Nick Maton. Acquired along with Matt Vierling from the Phillies in an off-season trade for left-hander Gregory Soto, Maton has seen the most action at third with 53 games. However, he's currently back in Triple-A Toledo due to his inconsistent hitting at the major league level.
Internally, Detroit has several prospects who could potentially start at third in 2024. Colt Keith, who is one of the best bats in the Tigers system, has received rave reviews by Harris and manager A. J. Hinch on his approach at the plate, but he shares the same position as Justyn Henry-Malloy, another Harris trade pickup. He, like Keith, has had a good year at the plate in the minors but both have seen time elsewhere on the diamond.
But Harris said he wanted to see Malloy get more time in the outfield, and Keith has also seen time at second. Free agent wise, the big name hitting the market is Matt Chapman. With all the money coming off the books for the Tigers with Miguel Cabrera retiring, does Greenberg make a splash with Chapman? That reminds unclear, but Detroit is better suited to use that money elsewhere.
3. Addressing the Detroit Tigers outfield
Riley Greene on Wednesday underwent Tommy John surgery on his non-throwing elbow. He injured his elbow after making a sliding catch against the White Sox earlier in the month. Prior to that, Hinch was moving Greene over to the corners for several reasons.
For one, it was to keep Greene healthy and on the field as much as possible. Second, to see what they have in prospect centerfielder Parker Meadows. His brother, Austin, has missed the entire season and his future in Detroit is uncertain. The development of Kerry Carpenter has been a much-needed boost however, his defense, while improved, he may serve better as the DH in 2024.
With Greene's health a concern, given his status as one of the Tigers' most productive hitters, Greenberg faces questions on multiple fronts. While prospects like Justice Bigbie have shown promise, it's uncertain whether that will translate to success in the major leagues. Is Akil Baddoo the long-term solution in left field? Is Vierling better suited as a utility player? Greenberg will need to address these issues quickly in the off-season.
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