Everywhere you look these days, the Detroit Tigers seem to be producing pitching talent. The latest breakout this season comes from 25-year-old right-hander Sawyer Gipson-Long.
Acquired from the Minnesota Twins at the 2022 trade deadline for reliever Michael Fulmer, Gipson-Long arrived looking like a sixth starter candidate with quality secondary pitches but a mediocre fastball. The deal was met with shrugs at the time, and for the better part of a year, Gipson-Long didn’t really change perceptions.
He was noticeably more in command this spring, but even in really good starts the long ball remained a consistent problem.