Lakeland, Fla. – You would think, with the roster down to 29 players, and J.D. Martinez starting the season on the disabled list, that the major questions have been answered.
Regarding the 2017 Tigers, however, you would be wrong.
With seven players trimmed on Wednesday – including left-handed reliever Blaine Hardy (optioned to Toledo), outfielder Alex Presley and infielder Omar Infante (reassigned to minor league camp) – there are three players left on the bubble.
Presumably, those players are right-hander Mike Pelfrey, lefty Daniel Stumpf and outfielder Steven Moya.
But before Wednesday's exhibition against the Phillies, manager Brad Ausmus would not commit to the five-man rotation, though he said Anibal Sanchez would start in the bullpen and Matthew Boyd would be in the rotation.