After tumultuous 2023 season, former Tigers pitcher signs with Phillies

Right-handed pitcher Spencer Turnbull, who spent nearly nine years in the Detroit Tigers organization before being let go three months ago, has signed a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Phillies.

 

According to The New York Post, the agreement would be worth up to $2 million in incentives in addition to the $2 million guaranteed.

 

Following an odd 2023 season, the Tigers declined to extend a contract offer to

Turnbull for 2024. Twice the Tigers tried to option Turnbull to Toledo, Triple-A.

Both times, Turnbull ended up receiving a full year of service time when the

option was later revoked because of an injury.

Turnbull, 31, may start the season as a kind of sixth starter or play shorter roles

out of the bullpen, though it’s unclear how he will fit into the Phillies’ current rotation.

 

Turnbull was chosen by the Tigers from the University of Alabama in the second round of the 2014 draft. Under president

and general manager Dave Dombrowski, who currently oversees baseball

operations for the Phillies, it was the second-to-last draft.

 

Turnbull made his team debut in 2018 and settled into the lineup as a regular in 2019.

 

Turnbull pitched the Tigers their first no-hitter in ten years on May 18, 2021. Three

starts later, he was on the injured list. A month and a half later, he had surgery on his elbow.

Turnbull was considered to be the Tigers’ best starter prior to having Tommy John surgery. Before the injury, Turnbull had

made 50 starts and had a 4.13 ERA and 3.67 FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching),

which ranked him 24th among regular starters in baseball from 2019 to 2021.

 

After just seven starts in his comeback season, the Tigers optioned him to Toledo in May of last year due to his poor start

to the season. After that, on May 12, five days after Turnbull reported a neck

ailment, the Tigers canceled the option and put him on the injured list.

From then on, Turnbull’s relationship with the squad grew more and more strained. The Tigers sent Turnbull to a

minor-league rehab in late July. Rather than return him to the big league club,

the Tigers officially optioned him to Toledo when the 30-day assignment

concluded. Turnbull again disputed the choice, claiming he had a foot problem.

 

Rather than engage in potentially polarizing negotiations with a client of

one of baseball’s most influential agents, Scott Boras, the Tigers chose to revoke

the option and allow Turnbull to become a free agency.

 

Right-hand pitcher Michael Lorenzen is the lone major free agent remaining on the Tigers’ 2023 roster after Turnbull’s

signing. Right-handed reliever Jose Cisnero just signed a one-year agreement

with the Los Angeles Angels. During the previous winter, Eduardo Rodriguez and

the Arizona Diamondbacks agreed to a multiyear contract.