Detroit Tigers re-sign oft-injured reliever Trey Wingenter to minor-league contract

Right-handed reliever Trey Wingenter is returning to the Detroit Tigers for the 2024 season.

The 29-year-old has signed a minor-league contract with the Tigers. The deal includes a non-roster invitation to MLB spring training, according to a source with knowledge of the agreement, and he will earn $1.2 million if he makes the majors.

Wingenter signed a minor-league contract last offseason and earned a spot on the 2023 Opening Day roster but only pitched in 17 games for the Tigers, posting a 5.82 ERA with seven walks and 22 strikeouts across 17 innings.

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The 2023 campaign was Wingenter's first time in the big leagues since 2019 with the San Diego Padres. He missed almost all of the 2020, 2021 and 2022 seasons due to Tommy John surgery on his elbow and a pair of back surgeries.

A healthy Wingenter can be a productive reliever for the Tigers because of his high-velocity fastball and swing-and-miss slider.

But Wingenter was placed on the injured list again April 19 with right shoulder tendinitis and didn't begin his rehab assignment until June 10. His rehab assignment was transferred to Triple-A Toledo on June 17, where he stayed until bouncing back and forth between the Tigers and Mud Hens throughout July, August and September.

Wingenter had a 7.06 ERA with 15 walks and 29 strikeouts across 21⅔ innings in 24 appearances for Low-A Lakeland (two games) and Triple-A Toledo (22 games) in the minor leagues. He posted a 5.57 ERA in 21 innings for the Mud Hens.

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For the Tigers, Wingenter pitched six games in April, one game in July, three games in August and seven games in September. He had a 28.9% strikeout rate, 31.8% whiff rate and 32% chase rate, along with a 9.2% walk rate.

Wingenter threw two pitches for the Tigers: a four-seam fastball (that averaged 95.8 mph) and a slider (that averaged 84.1 mph). Opponents hit .179 with a 50.7% whiff rate against his slider and .297 with a 15% whiff rate against his fastball.

His strikeout rate ranked 65th among 458 relievers with at least 10 innings in the 2023 season, but his walk rate ranked 202nd. Staying healthy and throwing strikes will continue to be the keys for Wingenter to have success on the mound.

He owns a 5.28 ERA across 87 innings and 90 games in his MLB career, spanning three seasons.

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Minor-league depth

Right-handed reliever Matt Merrill signed a minor-league contract with the Tigers.

The 25-year-old pitched in the Washington Nationals' organization over the past three seasons, but he hasn't passed the High-A level.

Merrill posted a 3.86 ERA with 21 walks and 59 strikeouts over 37⅓ innings in 25 relief appearances last season. He had a 5.27 ERA in nine games for High-A Wilmington.

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers re-sign RHP Trey Wingenter to minor-league deal