The Detroit Tigers have added a new arm to their pitching staff, signing right-hander Eli Villalobos to a minor league contract after he was designated for assignment by the Miami Marlins last month. The team’s transaction log indicates that Villalobos was signed on Monday and assigned to the Tigers’ rookie-level minor league affiliate.
Villalobos, 26, made his major league debut earlier this season with the Marlins, appearing in three games as a reliever. Over 4 1/3 innings, he allowed one run on three hits and two walks while striking out three. In addition to his brief stint in the majors, Villalobos also pitched 18 innings with Triple-A Jacksonville, recording a 4.50 ERA with 22 strikeouts and 11 walks.
The Marlins optioned Villalobos back to the minors on May 11th and later outrighted him off the 40-man roster. Villalobos opted for free agency after clearing waivers rather than accepting what would have been his second career outright assignment. Having last pitched on May 24th, he will likely need some time to get back into game shape before settling into a relief role with Triple-A Toledo.
Despite not being a high-end prospect, Villalobos showed promise in the minors. The Marlins added him to their 40-man roster in 2022 to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. That year, Villalobos posted a 2.86 ERA with 101 strikeouts and a 9.4% walk rate over 78 ⅔ innings between Double-A and Triple-A. His career in the minors includes a sub-4.00 ERA and strikeout rates exceeding 25% over two seasons at those levels. However, Villalobos struggled with command last season, posting a career-worst 18% walk rate. This season, his walk rate improved to 12.8% between Triple-A Jacksonville and Miami.
The Tigers’ bullpen, which led the majors with a 1.86 ERA through April 14th, has struggled significantly since. Detroit’s 4.76 bullpen ERA since April 15th ranks as the fourth-worst in MLB. Injuries have further hampered the bullpen’s performance, with reliever Alex Lange suffering a lat strain that will require season-ending surgery and Alex Faedo sidelined with hip inflammation.
Villalobos could be a valuable addition to the Tigers if he can continue to improve his command. With the bullpen in need of reinforcement, he may find himself in a significant role in Detroit’s bullpen in the near future.
