George Sipple

Detroit Free Press

CHICAGO – It appears that standout right-handed pitching prospect Joe Jimenez won’t be joining the Detroit Tigers this season.

Jimenez tweeted this morning: “Wow! I really can't believe its over. Its been an amazing year! Im going back home. I continue my road to the show!”

Tigers general manager Al Avila said last month he was going back and forth on the decision whether to promote Jimenez, 21. Jimenez is from San Juan, Puerto, Rico.

Dave Littlefield, vice president of player development for the Tigers, told the Free Press this morning in a phone interview that barring something unforeseen, the Tigers aren't planning to bring Jimenez up.

“Our plans are to have Joe come to Instructional League if he’s not part of the call-up group,” Littlefield said.

The Mud Hens play today in their regular-season finale and players will be told after the game if they are part of the Tigers’ call-ups.

The Tigers want Jimenez to continue working on his slider and change-up when he goes to the Instructional League in Florida in two weeks.

“I saw him pitch Saturday night and I talked to our guys and I thought he’s made some progress with the slider,” Littlefield said, adding that both pitches need continued work.

Littlefield said he was talking to right-hander Mike Pelfrey on Friday, who shared with him that he didn’t always want to throw his change-up when he was coming up through the minors because he could get hitters out with his other pitches.

“(Pelfrey) said to me, ‘Even though I heard it, because I could get them out with my fastball and my breaking ball, I didn’t go to it.’” Littlefield said. “Until you get to a higher level, (then) the competition catches up.”

Littlefield said now that Jimenez has moved up to Triple-A, he’s understanding why the Tigers wanted him to throw the secondary pitches.

The Tigers have opted to be patient with Jimenez this season, as he climbed from High-A Lakeland to Double-A Erie to Triple-A Toledo. The Tigers have wanted to see him develop his slider and change-up to go with an impressive fastball.

Jimenez was 10-for-10 in save opportunities and had a 0.00 ERA and a 0.58 WHIP and 28 strikeouts in 17.1 innings with Lakeland.

He was 3-2 and 12-for-13 in save opportunities with Erie. He had a 2.18 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP with 34 strikeouts in 20.2 innings at Double-A.

He was 0-1 and converted 8-of-8 save opportunities with Toledo. He had a 2.45 ERA an a 0.82 WHIP with 16 strikeouts in 14.2 innings at Triple-A.

Roster move: The Tigers have called up infielder Dixon Machado from Triple-A Toledo.

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