The Detroit Tigers have requested unconditional release waivers on utility player Brandon Dixon, who led the team with 19 home runs in 2019, the organization announced Thursday morning.
Dixon, 28, will play in Japan in 2021. He is joining the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in the Nippon Professional Baseball's Pacific League, a source told the Free Press. The Tigers, for releasing Dixon, got an undisclosed amount of cash from the Golden Eagles, the source said.
The source requested anonymity because Dixon's new club in Japan hasn't made an official announcement.
The move puts the Tigers' 40-man roster at 36 players, opening up another spot as prospects must be protected from the Rule 5 draft in December.