Dillon

Dingler

Dingler singled in the second inning to plate Spencer Torkelson and put the Tigers up 1-0. It’s just the fifth RBI of the season for Dingler, who was playing in his 10th game since being promoted to the big league squad back on July 29. He entered the day batting .161 on the year and can be left on waiver wires despite the multi-hit night.

The second-inning homer off Hayden Birdsong was hit 108 mph and would have been a homer in 19 ballparks, according to Statcast. The double, which came three innings later, actually would have been a homer in 26 ballparks. He also had a 104.5-mph lineout, so it was a day of impressive at-bats for him. The 2020 second-round pick is 5-for-24 since taking Carson Kelly’s spot in Detroit.

As anticipated, Dingler gets the call to the big-leagues for the first time after Carson Kelly was dealt to the Rangers on Sunday. The 25-year-old slugger had been swinging a very hot bat at Triple-A Toledo where he was slashing .308/.379/.559 with 17 homers, 52 RBI and five stolen bases through 263 at-bats. He’ll share the load behind the plate with Jake Rogers for the remainder of the season and his power potential could make him an intriguing option in deeper two-catcher mixed leagues and AL-only formats.

It’s about time. The Tigers dealt Carson Kelly to the Rangers on Sunday to free up a spot on the roster for Dingler for the remainder of the 2024 season. The 25-year-old backstop has been swinging an extremely hot bat at Triple-A Toledo, homering in five straight games and slashing .308/.379/.559 with 17 homers, 52 RBI and five stolen bases overall through 263 at-bats on the season. If he hits the ground running, he could be worth a look in two-catcher leagues and AL-only formats.

There’s been some talk of a Carson Kelly trade, and if that happens, Dingler could get his first look in the majors. He’s had a terrific season for Toledo, hitting .306/.375/.549 with 16 homers in 69 games.

Leonard was reportedly in the running for a bench spot with Detroit, but the club ultimately will send him down to Triple-A to start the season. The 23-year-old posted a .904 OPS in 40 games with Triple-A Toledo in 2023, so there’s likely a chance he gets an opportunity down the road barring an injury.

Dingler is coming back from surgery to remove loose bodies in his elbow. He’ll be the primary catcher at Triple-A Toledo this season, and he could make his major league debut if either Jake Rogers or Carson Kelly gets hurt, though it’s possible the Tigers would bypass him for a more veteran option if an extra catcher is needed early on.

The Tigers released an injury report on Wednesday, which revealed the procedure and that Dingler is “currently completing a return to play throwing program and is available for all other baseball activities.” That means he should be able to hit with minimal discomfort, if any at all, and there doesn’t seem to be any major concern. Dingler was always likely to begin the season in Triple-A Toledo, so this doesn’t do anything to change his timeline. The 25-year-old was added to the 40-man roster this offseason to avoid the Rule 5 draft and should make his debut at some point over the summer if he continues to progress as the team hopes.

The 25-year-old backstop was the Tigers’ second-round selection from the 2020 MLB draft. He has battled injuries in each of his first three minor league seasons, but still slashed a healthy .256/.361/.478 with 16 homers, 58 RBI and six stolen bases in 381 plate appearances across three minor league levels in 2023 — finishing with his final 26 games at Triple-A Toledo. He’s likely to begin the 2024 campaign back at Toledo, but don’t be surprised to see him make his debut in Detroit at some point during the year.

Dingler won’t resume baseball activities for at least four weeks after undergoing right knee surgery.