Don’t blame Spencer Turnbull for playing hardball when it comes to his career

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DETROIT — Baseball is a business, and over the past week the Detroit Tigers and Spencer Turnbull have decided to play hardball.

The end result of the five-day drama was a single line on Friday’s transactions page: Turnbull was placed on the 15-day disabled list with neck discomfort.

But the ramifications of that dispute could impact Turnbulls’ future with the Tigers.

It all started the night of the Turnbulls’ seventh start of the season, May 6 in St. Louis. The end result wasn’t great (five runs on seven hits over 4 2/3 innings), but there were stretches where Turnbull looked better than he had all season. He struck out six and walked one and had a season-high 11 swing strikes.

Turnbull was called to a post-match meeting at the team hotel. Manager AJ Hinch, pitching coach Chris Fetter and team president Scott Harris were on hand to deliver the news that left Turnbull stunned: He was opted for Triple-A Toledo.

The Tigers had to make a roster change to put Alex Faedo on the roster to start the next day. And they had full contractual option rights to Turnbull, who had yet to reach five years of Major League service and still had unused options that allowed him to transfer freely to the minor leagues.

But the move was still somewhat surprising. The Tigers had other alternatives through which they could have navigated the roster crisis. They opted to keep Joey Wentz (6.67 ERA in 2023) and promote Faedo (5.53 ERA in 2022) on a pitcher who was perhaps the Tigers’ best before his 2021 season ended with the surgery of Tommy John.

We can speculate what happened after a shocked and disappointed Turnbull left the room that night. He picked up the phone and started calling people. He was given the advice – wise but overdue – that if he faced any kind of injury, he should let the Tigers know NOW.

So he did.

Harris told reporters that Turnbull called after the meeting ended and reported neck discomfort. The Tigers still opted for it the next day, as originally planned, but Turnbull’s call sparked a series of doctor visits. After the injury was confirmed, the option was waived and Turnbull was placed on the Major League injured list.

Or at least that’s the official version.

Some have asked if Turnbull was faking injury. The answer is a definite no. But at the same time, we shouldn’t pretend that wounds are always black and white. Turnbull and many other players might be willing to overcome discomfort or even pain in order to pitch in the big leagues. When asked to do the same in Triple-A, the decision is much more complicated. And no reasonable person could blame them.

Tigers, on the other hand, could quite reasonably answer that they are not telepaths. Injuries are subjective. Doctors and sports coaches depend on players to describe the extent and nature of their injuries. If a player isn’t completely candid, it’s not the team’s fault.

There are other, more complicated issues at play.

In baseball, players reach career milestones like free agency based on time served.

Turnbull entered the season with 4 years and 20 days of MLB service, putting him on pace to reach six and become a free agent after the 2024 season.

But Turnbull would not have gained any service time in Toledo. Spending just five weeks on an optional assignment in Toledo would have pushed back his free agency plans for another year.

Turnbull didn’t become a major leaguer until he was 26. He has already sacrificed some of his best officiating years for Tommy John surgery. A disastrous start to 2023 could cost him dearly when it comes to his 2024 salary. He turns 31 in September and would have already been a relatively old free agent in 2025 under normal circumstances. Postponing that freedom for a year could potentially cost him millions more.

All of these things have probably been brewing in Turnbull’s head over the past few days. And it’s hard to blame him. You only get one career, and the arcane rules of baseball sometimes make it difficult for a player to maximize their winnings.

So what happens next?

On the one hand, the hiring of Boras is a clear indication that Turnbull has no intention of being pushed around.

Yes, the Tigers can still opt for Turnbull in Toledo whenever he’s healthy (and likely after a rehab assignment), but such a move will likely come under scrutiny. And don’t forget that players and agents now have their own stable of medics.

The most likely scenario is whichever is best for Turnbull and best for the Tigers. After some time to rest and regroup, Turnbull heads to Toledo for a handful of rehab starts (while still earning MLB service time!) then returns to Detroit for Comeback 2.0.

It was not the triumphant return the Tigers and Turnbull had hoped for and envisioned.

In the 50 starts before his injury, Turnbull had a 4.13 ERA and 3.67 Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP), 24th best in baseball among 2019-21 regular starters. Harris spoke several times over the winter about the importance of the Turnbulls’ return and the impact it would have on the rotation. He looked like dynamite in spring training, but he was never on track in the regular season.

The Tigers won’t give up Turnbull lightly, especially at a time when they spent nearly $20 million to sign two free agents (Matthew Boyd and Michael Lorenzen) with broadly similar backgrounds. But this relationship is now strictly commercial.

If all goes well, Turnbull will get a nice raise for his final season in team control in 2024 and join Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize in retaliation for the 2020-21 rotation. Or maybe the hell will be dealt to another team eager for a solid starter at a reasonable price, pre-free agency.

If things don’t go well, maybe the Tigers will start thinking about alternate roles – a move to the bullpen like Michael Fulmer?

And if things get really bad, maybe Turnbull will go untendered this winter. It would give Turnbull what he wants – free will, and much sooner than expected – but not under the circumstances anyone wants it.

How will the saga end? Nobody knows. But by playing hardball this week, Turnbull has ensured that he will have a little more say in how the next chapter is written.

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