Tigers bring Lugo back to bigs as third baseman

DETROIT -- The Tigers positioned Dawel Lugo as their third baseman of the future after they acquired him from the D-backs as part of the J.D. Martinez trade two summers ago. They shifted him to second base after they acquired Jeimer Candelario from the Cubs a few weeks later to be their third baseman. Lugo was Detroit's everyday second baseman for the final month of last season. On Thursday, the Tigers called him up to be their third baseman of the present.

“We’re bringing Lugo up here to play, not to sit,” manager Ron Gardenhire said.

How long Lugo sticks at the hot corner with Detroit likely will depend in large part on how Candelario fares at Triple-A Toledo, having been sent down Wednesday night. But a strong performance from Lugo could give Tigers officials something to ponder as they arrange infielders in their long-term rebuilding plan. Lugo went 1-for-4 with a three-run homer on Thursday.

Lugo batted .213 (20-for-94) with a .576 OPS in 27 games down the stretch last year. That, combined with his play at second base, led the Tigers to decide he needed more work with Toledo to begin the season, and it also contributed to Detroit signing Josh Harrison to handle second base.

After an organizational discussion in Spring Training, the Tigers made the shift with Lugo, who was a shortstop in the D-backs' system before shifting to third. Though Toledo's glut of middle infielders played a role, the ultimate decision was that third was a more natural fit for Lugo. His strong arm, footwork and reactions play better across the infield, and his double-play turns were slower than average for a second baseman.

“Hopefully this takes a little pressure off that part, and he can concentrate a little bit more on the bat,” Gardenhire said.

Lugo's numbers at the plate suggest it sure hasn’t hurt. He hit .341 (43-for-126) with an .861 OPS in Toledo this season, compared with .269 and .633 in a full season there last year. Though Lugo's homer power remains light, his doubles production has boosted his slugging percentage.

More importantly, Lugo is taking better at-bats. His 11 walks so far this season are already more than he had for Toledo last year (nine).

Candelario is expected to work at third with Toledo as he tries to repair his swing. But if Lugo hits his way back into Detroit's long-term picture, team officials will have to figure out how to fit both of them in the lineup. Some scouts view Candelario as an eventual first baseman, but he showed marked improvement at third this year, evidenced by a plus-4 in defensive runs saved.

The Tigers, who need as many productive hitters as they can find in a pitching-heavy organization, would like to have that quandary.

“We’re going to get a chance to see him now,” Gardenhire said. “We can get all the reports you want to, but it doesn’t really help you a whole lot, other than he’s swinging good right now. Hopefully he’ll continue that.”

Ross gets good news on arm

The initial opinion on starter Tyson Ross, who went on the 10-day injured list Monday with ulnar neuritis in his right elbow, is “all good,” according to Gardenhire.

Ross was in St. Louis on Wednesday visiting Dr. Robert Thompson, who performed his thoracic outlet surgery in 2016. Ross traveled to Dallas to see another specialist, Dr. Greg Pearl, on Thursday. If he concurs with the diagnosis, they’ll work together to come up with a rehab plan.

How long that rehab takes will have an impact on Detroit's injury-shortened rotation, which has three starters and rookie Gregory Soto as an opener. Soto is expected to stretch out as a more traditional starter on Sunday, which could allow Nick Ramirez to move from long relief to fifth starter.

Zimmermann at least a month away

Jordan Zimmermann, who's on the 10-day injured list with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, is not expected to join that rotation anytime soon. Though the right-hander resumed his throwing progression and felt good Wednesday, the Tigers are expected to continue to take it slow with him.

“We’re still looking at probably a month here,” Gardenhire said.

At this point, Zimmermann said, the main issue is the flexor pronator muscle in his right forearm more than the ulnar collateral ligament that initially bothered him. Zimmermann felt tightness earlier this week when extending his arm in his delivery.