The Tigers optioned Baddoo to Triple-A Toledo on Thursday.
Baddoo went just 3-for-25 with 13 strikeouts at the plate this spring. The 25-year-old has really struggled at the big-league level over the last two seasons following a promising rookie campaign.
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Tigers' Akil Baddoo: Struggling this spring
Rotowire
Baddoo, who went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts in Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Twins, is now batting .167 this spring.
Baddoo has just three singles in nine games this spring. The struggles are less than ideal for the 25-year-old, as he's fighting for a bench role in camp. Riley Greene, Parker Meadows and Mark Canha seem to be locked into starting outfield spots, and given Baddoo's poor play so far, he may find himself at Triple-A Toledo to begin the season.
Baddoo is a candidate to begin the 2024 season at Triple-A Toledo with Detroit's outfield now deeper than in previous years, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.
Baddoo made 357 plate appearances for the Tigers in 2023, though he may be unable to match that in 2024. Parker Meadows has emerged as the presumptive center fielder of the future, and Riley Greene should slide over to right field in his return from September Tommy John surgery. The team also added veteran Mark Canha during the offseason, and he figures to play left field. Baddoo could give the Tigers a left-handed bat and some speed off the bench, though the versatile Matt Vierling could also serve as a fourth outfielder. Either way, Baddoo's fantasy stock has dropped as the Detroit outfield has gotten deeper.
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Tigers' Akil Baddoo: Agrees to terms
Rotowire
Baddoo and the Tigers agreed to a one-year, $1.55 million deal Thursday to avoid arbitration, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.
The righty-hitting outfielder may struggle to top the 357 plate appearances he received in 2023, as the Tigers' outfield will be better than it has been in recent seasons, with the addition of Mark Canha and emergence of Parker Meadows. Baddoo should still get starts against lefties. He is a career .233 hitter and had 11 home runs with 14 steals and a career-low 24.9 percent strikeout rate last year.
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Tigers' Akil Baddoo: Likely to be retained for 2024
Rotowire
Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris indicated Tuesday that Baddoo will be tendered a contract for the 2024 season, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.
Baddoo was believed to be a non-tender candidate this winter after slashing just .213/.302/.331 in 582 combined plate appearances between 2022-23, but he is only projected to make around $1.7 million in 2024 -- his first year of arbitration eligibility -- and the Tigers are hopeful that he can recapture his 2021 form. That year, as a rookie, Baddoo put up a .766 OPS with 13 homers and 18 steals across his first 124 major-league games. "He still very much fits in," said Harris. "There is a role for him. We're not an organization that wants to give up players that can affect the game in that way for nothing."
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Tigers' Akil Baddoo: Reaches four times, swipes bag
Rotowire
Baddoo went 1-for-1 with a triple, two RBI and a stolen base in Saturday's victory over Cleveland while also drawing three walks.
Baddoo walked and stole second in his first trip to the plate and later drove in two runs with a two-out triple in the bottom of the sixth to extend Detroit's lead. The left fielder would then add another two walks on the afternoon, giving him four free passes over his last two games. The stolen base was Baddoo's 13th of the season, with five of those coming in September, while the triple was the first in his 2023 campaign.
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Tigers' Akil Baddoo: Sitting against lefty
Rotowire
Baddoo isn't starting Thursday against the Royals.
Baddoo will step out of the lineup for the final game of the Tigers' series against Kansas City as southpaw Cole Ragans starts on the mound for the Royals. Matt Vierling will move to left field while Andre Lipcius picks up a start at third base.
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Tigers' Akil Baddoo: Hits 11th home run
Rotowire
Baddoo hit a pinch-hit home run during his lone at-bat in Tuesday's 6-3 win over the Royals.
Baddoo provided some offense off the bench, though it's a bit concerning that he was out of the starting lineup in a matchup against veteran righty Zack Greinke. The Tigers have been eliminated from playoff contention, so they may mix and match their lineups the rest of the way to get a look at some different players, which could make Baddoo's playing time unpredictable over the final handful of games.
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Tigers' Akil Baddoo: Out of lineup again
Rotowire
Baddoo is not in the lineup for Tuesday's contest against the Royals, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.
It marks the third time in four games that Baddoo has been absent from the lineup, although this is the first time it's happened against a right-hander. Baddoo is hitless over his last six contests. Matt Vierling will handle left field.
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Tigers' Akil Baddoo: Resting versus lefty
Rotowire
Baddoo isn't in the Tigers' lineup Sunday versus Oakland.
As lefty JP Sears prepares to start on the mound, the Tigers will keep the left-handed bat of Baddoo on the bench to start Sunday's contest. Andy Ibanez will start in left field and bat second.
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Tigers' Akil Baddoo: Sitting against lefty
Rotowire
Baddoo isn't in the Tigers' lineup Friday against the Athletics.
Left-hander Ken Waldichuk is lined up to start Friday for the A's, so Baddoo will sit on the bench to begin the game. Andy Ibanez will start in left field instead and bat second.
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Tigers' Akil Baddoo: Not starting against lefty
Rotowire
Baddoo isn't in the Tigers' lineup Tuesday against the Dodgers.
Southpaw Caleb Ferguson will start Tuesday for Los Angeles, meaning the lefty-hitting Baddoo will remain on the bench to begin the game. Matt Vierling will shift to left field in Baddoo's place while Tyler Nevin starts at the hot corner.
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Tigers' Akil Baddoo: Sitting against lefty
Rotowire
Baddoo is absent from the lineup Sunday versus the Angels.
Matt Vierling, Parker Meadows and Kerry Carpenter will start across the outfield for the Tigers as they match up against left-hander Reid Detmers. Baddoo has drawn only 10 plate appearances versus southpaws this year.
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Tigers' Akil Baddoo: On bench Friday
Rotowire
Baddoo is not in the lineup Friday against the Angels.
Baddoo went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and two runs scored in the Tigers' defeat of the Reds on Thursday, but he'll take a seat Friday as Matt Vierling patrols left field. Parker Meadows is in center and Kerry Carpenter is in right.
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Tigers' Akil Baddoo: Hits 10th home run
Rotowire
Baddoo went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and a second run scored in Thursday's win over the Reds.
Baddoo went deep with a runner on in the fourth inning, giving him 10 home runs for the year. The outfielder has recorded 10 or more long balls in two of his three seasons with the Tigers, and each time he's also reached double figures in stolen bases. That's given him some fantasy appeal in deeper leagues, though his low batting average has put a dent in his value.
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Tigers' Akil Baddoo: Sitting versus left-hander
Rotowire
Baddoo is absent from the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Reds.
Cincinnati is throwing southpaw Brandon Williamson, so the left-handed hitting Baddoo will take a seat. Matt Vierling will occupy left field for the Tigers in the series opener.
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Tigers' Akil Baddoo: Not starting against lefty
Rotowire
Baddoo isn't in the Tigers' lineup Thursday against the Yankees, Erik Boland of Newsday reports.
With southpaw Carlos Rodon on the mound for the Yankees, the left-handed bat of Baddoo will take a seat to begin Thursday's game. Tyler Nevin will enter as Detroit's left fielder and bat eighth.
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Tigers' Akil Baddoo: Goes 3-for-5 with 10th steal
Rotowire
Baddoo went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and a stolen base in Saturday's win over the White Sox.
Baddoo recorded his second consecutive game with a stolen base, bringing his season-long total to double digits, and he notched his first three-hit game of the campaign. The 25-year-old outfielder now holds a slash line of .226/.313/.370 with nine home runs, 28 RBI, 35 runs and 10 stolen bases across 92 games this season.
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Tigers' Akil Baddoo: Remains out of lineup
Rotowire
Baddoo is not in the starting lineup Friday versus the White Sox.
Baddoo will remain on the bench for a second straight contest after he went 0-for-7 with a walk and four strikeouts in two games against the Yankees. Kerry Carpenter will start in right field while Miguel Cabrera enters the lineup at designated hitter and bats sixth.
