Detroit Tigers: Dustin Garneau likely going to split time with Eric Haase

While the Detroit Tigers roster move of purchasing Dustin Garneau from the Colorado Rockies may not have carried much weight, it means a little more now. Last month the Detroit Tigers sent Grayson Greiner to the minors to allow Jake Rogers some more time behind the dish; in doing so, they purchased a catcher from the Rockies.

Adding Garneau is not a path-altering move for the Detroit Tigers by any means, but it gave them some depth in a time where they truly needed it. But, with the recent news about Jake Rogers having to undergo Tommy John Surgery, it means the Tigers catching job is going to change even more.

Garneau is not some long-term solution, but he is going to fill a gap for the rest of the 2021 season. While the Tigers do have hometown boy Eric Haase having an amazing year, he has moved around the field positionally, so Garneau will likely still handle the backstop duties.

Garneau and Haase are going to split time, but it seems like picking up Garneau was a stellar decision by the front office. While no one could have sat back and expected Rogers to need Tommy John Surgery, adding depth is going to help the Tigers get across the finish line in 2021.

Detroit Tigers catcher Dustin Garneau will make the most of his opportunity.

Garneau has only logged 10 games with the Tigers since being purchased from the Rockies. It’s a small sample size, but over the course of his 32 plate appearances, Garneau has slashed .258/.281/.645  with three home runs and five RBI.

It’s not much, but it’s worth noting since he’s going to have to be the Tigers backstop for the remainder of the season. Garneau is nothing special and is only really a depth addition, but for the rest of the Tigers season, he’s going to be leaned upon by the organization.

Haase is going to take some of the load from him, but the addition from August is going to see some time behind the dish and is going to be filling a role. The Tigers have not really had a steady backstop since James McCann departed the organization, and that’s not going to change much given the injury.

Dillon Dingler is the future of the Tigers backstop for now, but Garneau and Haase are going to have to handle things for the time being. It’s not the best situation, but the Tigers are going to have to make the most of it.

As the 2021 Tigers season winds down, expect Garneau’s playing time to be on the rise to cover the gaps.