HOUSTON -- Anibal Sanchez is a starting pitcher again, but now for Triple-A Toledo. The struggling Tigers right-hander accepted an optional assignment to the Mud Hens on Monday, the latest step to try to rekindle the career of the former American League ERA champion.
Sanchez will start for Toledo on Tuesday, and pitch out of their rotation. He takes the rotation spot of Warwick Saupold, who was called up to pitch out of the Tigers' bullpen on Monday.
As a 12-year Major League veteran, Sanchez had to approve the move. But after seven weeks as a long reliever in the Tigers' bullpen yielded no improvements in his pitching, the 33-year-old was ready to try something different.