George Sipple

Detroit Free Press

The Detroit Tigers announced today that they suspended outfielder Anthony Gose for three days after he failed to show up for a Toledo Mud Hens game on Sunday, a day after he had an argument with Mud Hens manager Lloyd McClendon.

Gose did not play in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader and then didn't show up Sunday.

After reinstating him today, the Tigers sent Gose to Double-A Erie.

"After collectively evaluating the situation in Toledo, we spoke with Anthony and emphasized our organization's expectations of him," Tigers general manager Al Avila said in a released statement. "Most importantly, Anthony's transfer to Erie is a move to give him a fresh start to his overall performance as he works his way back to Detroit."

The Tigers are hoping a change of scenery can help ignite Gose, 25, who has struggled since being demoted from the Tigers to Toledo in May. He was hitting .179 with nine strikeouts and four runs over his last 10 games with the Mud Hens. In 50 Triple-A games, he hit .185 with 75 strikeouts.

Gose appeared in 30 games with the Tigers this season and batted .209 with 38 strikeouts.

The Tigers traded prospect Devon Travis to the Toronto Blue Jays for Gose on Nov. 13, 2014, thinking that Gose could be their everyday centerfielder. He batted .254 in 140 games for the Tigers in 2015.

When the Tigers traded for Cameron Maybin in November, it appeared that Gose still would get some playing time in center and also could help out in left. But then the Tigers signed Justin Upton to a six-year, $132.75-million deal to be their leftfielder.

As Gose struggled in Toledo, he lost playing time there, as well. The Tigers recently promoted JaCoby Jones, who can play third base and center, to the Mud Hens from Double-A Erie.

Meanwhile, the Tigers signed Alex Presley, who has experience in 376 major league games over a seven-year span, to a minor league deal over the weekend. That was another sign that Gose might lose playing time in Toledo.

Presley, 30, has started out at Class A Lakeland because he hasn't played in awhile but is expected to soon move up to Toledo.