Detroit Tigers Release Former Top Prospect With Solid Career Numbers

July 09, 2025 , , , ,
Detroit Tigers outfielder Manuel Margot hits the ball during a 2025 game.

The Detroit Tigers have officially released veteran outfielder Manuel Margot, ending a brief and difficult stint with the organization. 

Signed just before Opening Day to address outfield injuries, Margot appeared in six major league games, going 6-for-19 before injuring his knee on April 7. After recovering, he spent time at Triple-A Toledo, where he posted a disappointing .211/.299/.266 slash line over 37 games.

Once a Rising Star, Now Searching for a New Home

Margot, 30, was once a top prospect and had a productive run from 2017 to 2022 with the San Diego Padres and Tampa Bay Rays, thanks to his elite speed, strong defense, and solid bat against lefties. 

But a serious patellar tendon injury in 2022 derailed his game. Statcast once clocked him among the fastest players in MLB; this year, he ranked in the ninth percentile for sprint speed. His bat has also faded, as he’s hit just .250/.395/.348 in 862 big league plate appearances since returning from injury, with minimal power and declining baserunning.

Tigers Add Pitching Depth with Smeltzer

In a corresponding move, Detroit signed left-hander Devin Smeltzer to a minor league deal and assigned him to Toledo. The former Minnesota Twins and Miami Marlins pitcher adds depth to a battered Tigers rotation, which is currently without Sawyer Gipson-Long, Alex Cobb, Jackson Jobe, Ty Madden, and Jose Urquidy due to injuries. 

Smeltzer had been pitching in the Mexican League and offers swingman potential if he can regain form.

While Margot’s time in Detroit is over, he may still attract interest from clubs looking for right-handed outfield depth. But given his injuries and decline in tools, any opportunity will likely come on a minor league deal.

Photo Credit: Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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