Detroit Tigers Sign Sidearmer With Career 3.51 ERA
Sandlin elected free agency after being waived by the Los Angeles Angels last week, with his tenure in Anaheim ending after he allowed 11 runs on nine hits and eight free passes across 8.2 innings in eight appearances.
Sandlin had a solid four-year run as a middle reliever in Cleveland, posting a 3.27 ERA in just under 200 innings for the Guardians before they traded him to Toronto alongside Andres Gimenez over the 2024-25 offseason.
He missed most of his lone Blue Jays season due to an elbow injury, was released in November, underwent offseason surgery, and joined the Angels on a minor league deal.
The elbow procedure is the most plausible explanation for why a pitcher who posted a 3.27 ERA over nearly 200 innings looks like a different arm in 2026, and Detroit is betting that given regular Triple-A reps the pre-surgery version resurfaces.
The Profile
Sandlin throws from a low arm slot and leans most heavily on a plus slider, a combination that generated genuine swing-and-miss numbers during his Cleveland years.
His average fastball speed has dropped from 94 mph as a rookie to 91-92 mph over the years, which is not alarming given his arm slot profile but shows the velocity decline that has followed him since the elbow trouble began.
The Tigers have signed RHP Nick Sandlin to a minor league contract. Former Guardian was released by the Angles. Expected to be assigned to Triple-A Toledo
— Chris McCosky (@cmccosky) May 12, 2026
His slider expected slugging has jumped over 100 points from 2025, which is the core problem this season.
His fastball, however, has been surprisingly clean with an expected slugging of .078 and zero hits allowed against it.
If the slider comes back, the Tigers have a legitimate bullpen piece.
Why Detroit Made This Move
Setup man Will Vest has been on the 15-day IL since April 29 with minor forearm inflammation, creating a real opening in the bullpen should Sandlin find his form in Toledo.
Detroit's bullpen carries a 3.83 ERA that ranks in the middle of the pack, but the club sits in the bottom third of the league in swinging strikes for a second straight season.
A low arm slot slider specialist who can generate groundballs and miss bats in the zone addresses that weakness directly.
Nick Sandlin, Bohemian Rhapsody Splitter. ☠️⚰️ pic.twitter.com/LMGXMm2W0Q
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 6, 2023
The Tigers are 19-22 and sitting third in the AL Central behind an offense that has been the weak link more often than the pitching.
Adding Sandlin costs nothing if it does not work.
Photo Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images
