Detroit — The Tigers have begun the process of trimming their 40-man roster, presumably in advance of protecting some of their top prospects who will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft in December.
Most notably, left-handed reliever Blaine Hardy was given his outright release.
Hardy, who will be 33 in March, has been with the Tigers since 2014, longer than any current player except Miguel Cabrera. Hardy battled elbow pain and finished last season on the 60-day injured list.
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In his six seasons in Detroit, primarily a multi-role reliever though he made 13 starts in 2018, he was 14-10 with a 3.