Detroit Tigers: Avila calling up prospects mandates the future is now

Just days after declaring that Casey Mize and others weren’t ready, Detroit Tigers GM Al Avila did a complete turnaround and called up three of the top six prospects from Toledo.

“It was more important for us that these guys got more work before we rushed them in there,” Detroit Tigers GM Al Avila said Monday, according to ESPN. “They got close to a month of work.” This was the explanation given by Avila after he decided to promote pitchers Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal, along with infielder Isaac Parades to the Tigers’ major league roster.

The news finally broke on Monday during a zoom call with Avila and the media following nearly a month-long controversial delay of Mize’s promotion. Accompanying the moves, the ball club also designated infielder Dawel Lugo for assignment.

The moves were uncharacteristic considering Avila’s recent explanation that the Tigers were proceeding with caution in regards to the promotion of their top minor league prospects. In dire need of starting pitching help and reliable offense, it’s clear that the Tigers’ plans for the future have been accelerated.

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“It was out of the blue,” Skubal said of the promotion, according to The Detroit News.

“I didn’t really expect it, honestly, just because of where I was at, getting built up and going through the throwing progression. I just didn’t expect it. But it’s great news, regardless.”

What can Detroit Tigers fans expect moving forward?

Although Avila contradicted himself by enacting these promotions, he’s acknowledging the fan base’s desire for the team to return to a competitive level. Thus far, in the 2020 season, the Tigers have been competitive despite some glaring needs that clearly needed to be addressed.

After careful deliberation, the GM made a wise decision to usher in the Tigers’ new era now instead of delaying the team’s MLB-ready prospects.

With the moves, Avila mitigates the risk of another executive reaping the benefits of his “restoring” strategy that’s seen most of the club’s top players of the past decade shipped off for developmental pieces in recent seasons.

He buys himself more time and will get the opportunity to see his plan come full circle. The trades of the past weren’t popular at the time for a typically competitive Tigers team, and the delay of Mize and other prospects has been controversial to date.

Still, he had no choice but to make the call ups because the starting rotation has been reflective of a dumpster-fire doused in gasoline. Not to mention, the offense has continually been boom-or-bust all season long.

Now, the promotions of Mize and Skubal give the team two lively arms that provide a foundation for the Tigers’ future rotation. Both are highly-touted and likely to see immediate success.

Also, Parades is a consistent contact-hitter with occasional power that the everyday lineup desperately needs. His versatility in the field should allow for plenty of opportunities to sneak into the lineup each day.

Overall, Avila won the day on Monday by injecting life into a Tigers team and fan base that’s ready to change its fortunes after suffering through an awful 2019 campaign that provided few bright spots.

His decisions offer a glimmer of hope for the future while addressing the day-to-day challenges of a team suffering from a lack of quality pitching starts and injuries that are plaguing an already inconsistent offense.

The only question remaining now is, who will Avila call up next?