The Tigers have added right-handed reliever Tanner Rainey on a minor league contract, per his MLB.com profile. He’s been assigned to Triple-A Toledo, where he’ll serve as bullpen depth for the organization.
Rainey originally signed a minor league deal with the Pirates this past offseason. He appeared in 7 2/3 big league innings for Pittsburgh but struggled with a 10.57 ERA. After being called up in early May, he was designated for assignment in June, cleared waivers, and chose free agency instead of accepting an outright assignment. He soon re-signed with the Pirates on another minor league deal.
Best remembered for his six seasons with the Nationals, Rainey was a solid contributor, including during their 2019 World Series run. He pitched to a 3.30 ERA over 30 innings as recently as 2022. However, a Tommy John surgery sidelined him for nearly all of 2023, and he hasn’t quite returned to form since.
Since the start of the 2024 season, Rainey has posted a 5.52 ERA across 58 2/3 innings, along with a 19.8% strikeout rate and a 13.1% walk rate. Control has long been a challenge for him, though his high strikeout totals used to compensate. Before surgery, his fastball averaged 97.1 mph, but that’s dipped to 94.1 mph.
Despite the drop in velocity, Rainey has shown signs of a rebound at Triple-A Indianapolis, logging a 3.18 ERA, a 28.4% strikeout rate, and a still-high 12.6% walk rate over 17 innings. At 32 years old, there’s some hope he can regain his form, and the Tigers—dealing with a shaky bullpen—are taking a no-risk chance to see if he can contribute down the stretch.
