Candelario's minor tweak has major impact

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Jeimer Candelario has answered plenty of questions about his wrists amidst his hitting struggles over the last season and a half. But as he prepared for a position and roster fight at third base while trying to recapture his swing, he spent this critical offseason focusing on his legs.

“Everybody needs to use the legs to hit,” Candelario said. “You see [Francisco] Lindor, you see all those guys, they’re really good at using the legs to hit the ball, not the body. So I learned how to balance everything solid on my lower half. That helped me to be consistent. I continue to work on that in the cage so I can bring that to the big leagues.”

Candelario hit .244 (21-for-86) with nine doubles, two triples, a home run, 14 RBIs and a .770 OPS for Toros del Este, the eventual Dominican League and Caribbean Series champions. He did not play in the Caribbean Series, giving him time to rest up for Spring Training, but the winter stint allowed him to get his swing and timing down in time to compete for a job in camp.

Candelario and Dawel Lugo, who also played winter ball in the Dominican Republic, are the main contestants for third base in Detroit. Both are out of Minor League options.

Candelario wasn’t looking to overhaul his swing after batting .203 in Detroit last year. Instead, he looked for smaller changes while giving himself a better chance to produce out of it. The solution was strength in the legs.

“Stronger at the base,” Candelario said. “I think my style is a little bit different, just not that much. It’s the same solid swing through the zone, but using more of my legs. I can recognize pitches better now. I’m more explosive and I have more time to decide what I want to do with the baseball. It’s huge, man.”

Trammell hobbled

Hall of Famer Alan Trammell was missing the usual hop in his step as he reported to camp on Tuesday. But then, he wasn’t stepping so much as hobbling, thanks to a fractured fibula in his left leg.

The injury, suffered in a snowmobiling accident last month in northern Michigan, has put Trammell's left foot in a boot, which he’ll have to wear for the next few weeks.

“Honestly, it’s Gibby’s [Kirk Gibson] fault,” manager Ron Gardenhire said. “You’re riding in Gibby’s country and you tell Trammell to lead the snowmobile crew, and he doesn’t really know where he’s going. So I just throw this all on Gibby. [Trammell] went straight at a stop sign, and it was a left turn.”

Trammell is still teaching, still observing. He hobbled from field to field on Tuesday, watching pitchers and hitters during live batting practice.

“Tram is his usual self,” Gardenhire said. “He’s game-on. If you want him to go out there and show some infielders on that little buggy he’s riding with his left foot, then he would do it.”

Injury updates

The Tigers received relatively good news on their No. 10 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, Joey Wentz, who left his live batting practice session on Monday with tightness in his forearm. Tests showed no structural damage, so Wentz will be shut down for 10 days or so before resuming his throwing program.

The Tigers acquired Wentz from the Braves in the Shane Greene trade at the July 31 Trade Deadline in 2019. His 2.10 ERA and 37 strikeouts over 25 2/3 innings over the final month of last season at Double-A Erie earned him a non-roster invite to big league camp.

Hard-throwing relief prospect Wladimir Pinto, meanwhile, is progressing well after turning an ankle while warming up Monday.

“He actually was moving around good and saying the ankle wasn’t very sore at all,” Gardenhire said. “He’s on the up-and-up. He’ll be out there pretty quick.”

Quick hits

•Tarik Skubal, MLB Pipeline’s 46th-ranked prospect, will throw the first pitch of the Tigers’ Spring Training schedule when he starts Friday’s exhibition game against Southeastern University. Rony Garcia, Nolan Blackwood, Anthony Castro and Gerson Moreno are also scheduled to pitch in the 1:05 p.m. ET contest at Joker Marchant Stadium.

• Jordan Zimmermann will start the Tigers’ Grapefruit League opener Saturday against the Phillies. That, too, is a 1:05 p.m. ET start at Joker Marchant Stadium.

• Second baseman Jonathan Schoop was expected to arrive in Lakeland on Wednesday night and should be in camp for Thursday’s workout. The free-agent signing had been delayed by visa matters. Second base prospect Kody Clemens, who was already in Tigertown for Minor League mini camp, worked out in big league camp the last three days in Schoop’s place.