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- The Tigers optioned struggling right-handed hitter Andy Ibáñez to Triple-A Toledo on Friday.
- Since July 21, 2024, Ibáñez is hitting .200 with a .578 OPS against left-handed pitchers across 136 plate appearances.
- Jones is hitting .276 with six home runs, 24 walks, 46 strikeouts in 52 games for Triple-A Toledo.
The Detroit Tigers have added a new player to their active roster.
The Tigers called up Jahmai Jones, a 27-year-old outfielder, from Triple-A Toledo. He replaced infielder Andy Ibáñez, who has been optioned to the Mud Hens following his prolonged struggles against left-handed pitching.
Since July 21, 2024, Ibáñez is hitting .200 with two home runs and a .578 OPS against left-handed pitchers across 136 plate appearances. The 32-year-old provides steady value at second and third base, but he wasn’t succeeding in his role in the batter’s box against lefties.
“He’s looked off at the plate and hasn’t quite been at the level he knows he can get to — and I know he can get to,” manager A.J. Hinch said Friday, June 6, before the series opener against the Chicago Cubs at Comerica Park. “A stint in Toledo should get him grounded in his approach and get his swing in a good position to come back and help us.”
Both Jones and Ibáñez are right-handed hitters with track records of success against left-handed pitchers, so Jones will step into the Ibáñez platoon role — only as an outfielder instead of an infielder.
Jones was one of the final spring training cuts in March.
“He can really hit, and he makes good decisions,” Hinch said. “He comes with some thump. There’s a lot of athleticism and some speed.
“He fits the exact role that we’re going to play him in — help us off the bench and get an occasional start against a left-handed starter.”
For Triple-A Toledo, Jones hit .276 with six home runs, 24 walks and 46 strikeouts in 52 games, posting an .875 OPS. He batted .283 with an .876 OPS against righties and .240 with an .867 OPS against lefties. On defense, he started 18 games in left field, 15 games in right field and seven games in center field.
The Tigers designated outfielder Akil Baddoo — currently at the Triple-A level — for assignment to create room for Jones to be selected to the 40-man roster. It’s the second time in six months that Baddoo has been designated for assignment.
Jones has appeared in 69 MLB games across parts of four seasons, hitting .198 with a .535 OPS. In the big leagues, he has a .211 batting average with a .643 OPS against left-handed pitchers.
“It’s the impact against left-handed pitching and defending himself against righties,” Hinch said. “If you look at how teams manage against us, they generally attack the left-handed side of our team. The right-handed side of our bench is really important.”
Before joining the Tigers, Jones played for the Los Angeles Angels (three games in 2020), Baltimore Orioles (26 games in 2021), Milwaukee Brewers (seven games in 2203) and New York Yankees (33 games in 2024).
Jones hit .238 with the Yankees last season.
He launched his first (and only) home run of his MLB career May 12, 2024, against the Tampa Bays Rays, facing former Tigers left-hander Tyler Alexander.
The Tigers signed Jones to a minor league contract in November 2024. Jones has family ties to Detroit: His late father, Andre, played defensive end for the Lions in 1992, and his brother, T.J., was a wide receiver for the Lions from 2015-18.
“He has experience in this role and will fill in as a right-handed bat,” Hinch said. “But Andy, there’s so much good that comes with Andy. He’s a big part of how we’ve been successful over the last couple of seasons.”
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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