Former Tigers Infielder Cut Loose by New Team After Just 2 Days

A forgotten Tigers infielder has been sent packing by another team in as many weeks.
Sep 16, 2020; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers third baseman Sergio Alcantara (40) makes a throw to first base for an out during the eighth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park.
Sep 16, 2020; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers third baseman Sergio Alcantara (40) makes a throw to first base for an out during the eighth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park. | Raj Mehta-Imagn Images

With the MLB trade deadline approaching, teams across the majors are putting out feelers to see who might and won’t be available. At the same time, teams are also consistently making changes to the major and minor league rosters to find suitable options.

The Detroit Tigers are one of those teams that are expected to be active at the trade deadline. They‘ve also been signing guys to minor league deals and calling guys up to the majors over the last few weeks.

Anytime you call up a guy from the minor leagues or acquire a new player, someone will have to be DFA’d off the big league roster. A forgotten Detroit Tigers infielder recently went through this with an NL club, as he was designated for assignment, not once, but twice in the last 15 days.

Forgotten Tigers Infielder Sergio Alcantara Gets Sent Packing by Arizona Diamondbacks

On Sunday, the Arizona Diamondbacks announced that they designated the ex-Detroit infielder Sergio Alcantara for assignment after just signing him to a major league contract on Friday.

Alcantara was taking the place of All-Star Ketel Marte, who was on the restricted list, but made his return on Sunday. The ex-Tigers infielder didn’t get in a game with the Dbacks, and now will be subjected to waivers.

If he clears waivers, Alcantara will have the chance to accept or reject an outright minor league assignment. If the veteran infielder rejects it, he’ll jump back into free agency, where he can find a better path towards potential playing time.

Before joining the Diamondbacks, Alcantara had a brief stint with the San Francisco Giants, who designated him for assignment on Jul. 5 after purchasing his contract a couple of days prior. He played in one game, where he went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.

The Giants ultimately released the ex-Tiger a few weeks later. Detroit fans might not remember Alcantara’s time in the Motor City as it was fairly short. The 29-year-old infielder made his major league debut with the Tigers during the 2020 season.

Alcantara hit .143 with a home run and an RBI across 10 games. He spent the rest of the 2020 campaign in the minors before being put on waivers in the offseason and joining the Chicago Cubs for the 2021 season.

The ex-Tigers infielder has bounced around the league, trying to find some stability, but it hasn’t worked out in his favor lately. Nonetheless, it seems like teams are still willing to give Alcantara a chance as he brings versatility and experience.

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