Former Tigers Utilityman Claimed by National League Bottom Feeder originally appeared on The Sporting News

As the end of August nears, that means it is time for MLB front office executives to make tough decisions. This is because August 31st is the deadline for postseason roster eligibility and teams want to either cut ties with players that may not return to their organization or give young players a shot at the big league level.

An example of this was the Detroit Tigers designating Ryan Kreidler for assignment, and the Pittsburgh Pirates claiming him today off waivers.

Ryan Kreidler was a fourth-round draft pick by the Detroit Tigers in 2019 and spent 2022-2025 with the big league club.

Regarded as a high-level defense, he just never could really produce with a bat in his hands. Over parts of four seasons, he hit just two home runs in over 180 at-bats, and his career OPS+ is 11 (89% below league average). He played in 89 total games with the Tigers and hit just .138.

The Tigers are in the middle of a pennant chase, and the mindset is to cut dead weight like Ryan Kreidler and allow for some younger players in the minors to get an opportunity and see if they may be welcomed onto the Tigers' postseason roster.

As for Kreidler, he heads to the last-place Pittsburgh Pirates, where he may or may not get everyday chances. He's 27, but may need to spend some more time in the minor leagues to figure out his swing and retool the mental side of his game.