George Sipple

Detroit Free Press

TORONTO -- Anthony Gose opted not to show up for work today.

David Littlefield, vice president of player development for the Detroit Tigers, told the Free Press in a phone interview this morning that he had tried calling the Triple-A Toledo outfielder, but had not spoken to him one day after a dugout tiff with manager Lloyd McClendon.

John Wagner of the Toledo Blade first reported earlier this afternoon that Gose was not at the ballpark and not in the lineup for Toledo's 4:05 p.m. game. The Free Press asked Littlefield for an update in a text message.

Littlefield responded with a text: “Anthony Gose hasn’t shown up to the park today. We r investigating/evaluating the situation. Al, David, Lloyd and myself will talk during the break and decide where we go from here.”

Littlefield was referring to Tigers general manager Al Avila, assistant general manager David Chadd and McClendon.

The Mud Hens had swept a doubleheader over Louisville on Saturday in Toledo. Wagner reported that Gose, playing rightfield, seemed closer than JaCoby Jones, who was playing center, on a catchable fly ball to right-center on the first play of the first game. Jones tried to make a diving catch, but failed, which resulted in a triple for Tony Renda.

Wagner reported that McClendon “got into a loud, animated dugout argument with Gose” in the middle of the third inning of the first game, then pulled Gose from the game and banished him from the dugout.

McClendon wouldn’t discuss the incident Saturday and Wagner reported Gose had cleared out his locker. Gose did not play in the second game of the doubleheader.

Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said this morning that he was aware of what happened Saturday, but did not know details.

"Any time a player reacts that way to a manager, it’s a concern," Ausmus said. "It’s certainly not anything that can’t be dealt with or gotten past.”

Told after the 6-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays that Gose chose not to report for today's game, Ausmus said: “I don’t really have a thought on it, to be honest with you. I’m sure that will all be sorted out.”

Wagner reported that McClendon would not comment about the situation today, either.

The Tigers traded prospect Devon Travis to the Blue Jays for Gose in November 2014. Gose played in 140 games for the Tigers in 2015, batting .254 with 73 runs scored and 23 stolen bases.

The additions of Cameron Maybin and Justin Upton left Gose as the odd man out in the outfield. Gose subsequently lost playing time to Jones in Toledo.

The Tigers signed Alex Presley to a minor-league deal on Saturday, before Gose’s incident occurred.

Presley, 30, has hit .253 over 376 games in the big leagues over seven seasons with four different teams.

“Presley has been a part-time major leaguer and frequent Triple-A player that has had some an opportunity with a few different clubs,” Littlefield said. “A good defender that can run and has a little bat from time to time, but just hasn’t got enough traction at the major league level to get established.”

Littlefield said Presley would start out at High-A Lakeland because he hasn’t played in about a week.

Gose, 25, hit .209 in 30 games with the Tigers this season. He has struggled in 50 games in Toledo. He’s hitting .185 with 34 hits and 75 strikeouts.

The Tigers don’t have a viable option to play centerfield if Maybin were to miss significant time with an injury.

Jones, 24, has played centerfield and third base for the Mud Hens. He’s hitting .214 in 33 games with Toledo, after hitting .312 in 20 games at Double-A Erie.

Tyler Collins, 26, is batting .213 in 66 games for the Mud Hens.

Wynton Bernard, 25, batted .235 in 46 games with the Mud Hens. He’s batting .281 in 24 games at Double-A Erie.

Contact George Sipple: gsipple@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @georgesipple.

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