Motivated, healthy Wingenter ready to 'let it rip'

TAMPA, Fla. -- A series of career-altering injuries have limited Trey Wingenter to fewer than 10 innings over the past three seasons -- and none above Rookie level.

But when asked what the Tigers hope to see from the right-hander this spring, the first word from manager A.J. Hinch had nothing to do with Wingenter's health.

"Strikes," Hinch said prior to Wingenter's spring debut in the Tigers' 8-5 loss to the Yankees on Monday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field.

? One dark horse to make each Opening Day roster

Wingenter threw only four of his nine pitches for strikes -- but that was enough to face the minimum in his one inning of work. After getting Jesus Bastidas to pop out on his first pitch, Wingenter lost the zone on a five-pitch walk to Willie Calhoun in which none of the four balls were anywhere near the plate.

The 28-year-old Wingenter responded by throwing a first-pitch strike to Oswaldo Cabrera before getting the highly touted Yankees prospect to ground into an inning-ending double play two pitches later.

"Walks are the thing we're trying to eliminate with me, so it is frustrating to walk a guy when your goal is to not walk guys," Wingenter said. "But you're going to have walks, so the quicker you can recover, the better. Best-case scenario after a walk is getting right back in the zone and getting a ground ball, and they rolled a double play. So that was nice."

Hinch said he's willing to cut Wingenter some slack on the free passes if he can erase them as quickly as he did on Monday night.

"I joked with him that if you're going to walk someone," Hinch said, "if you retire them on a double [play], I'll forget all about it."

Though pounding the strike zone will be the focus for Wingenter over the next month, his health will remain at the forefront of everything.

After all, the 6-foot-7 righty hasn't pitched a big league inning since 2019 with the Padres. Wingenter missed the start of the '20 campaign with elbow issues before undergoing Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for the season. By the time he returned the following year, he could fit in only three rehab appearances for the club's Rookie-level affiliate.

? Who makes the cut for Tigers' 2023 Opening Day roster?

San Diego non-tendered Wingenter following that '21 season, and despite catching on with the Reds in '22, he again missed the entire season with back and elbow problems.

Finally healthy, Wingenter earned a shot with Detroit after making six injury-free appearances in the Dominican Winter League.

"This guy's worked really hard to try to get back on the field," Hinch said. "He wants a new opportunity, and he's got it."

This was never the path Wingenter expected to take, especially after flashing elite strikeout stuff in his two seasons with the Padres from 2018-19. He struck out 99 batters in 70 innings -- an average of 12.7 per nine innings -- but he also averaged five walks per nine and put up a 5.14 ERA in 73 appearances.

Wingenter may not have recorded a strikeout in his brief inning on Monday, but it was a step in the right direction nonetheless.

"I feel great. Nothing's bugging me. I don't expect anything to bug me in the morning," Wingenter said. "The best part is now it's two days of taking care of the body and then doing it again. That's the big thing. Just taking care of the body and being healthy into October."

Nobody would blame Wingenter for ramping up slowly in what is essentially his first game action in three seasons, but he also has a limited time to prove to Hinch and the Tigers that he deserves a spot in the Opening Day bullpen.

"That is a tough balance at times. I'm definitely a competitor and when I get out there, I'm 110%," Wingenter said. "But my plan is to just essentially focus on my preparation and take care of the body and getting prepped to perform at the highest level. And when I'm out there, I'm going to compete and let it rip."

Health will be a prerequisite for Wingenter making the team, but command will be the determining factor.

"We need strikes. His stuff is good enough. His ability to miss bats with two strikes is very evident over the course of his career,” Hinch said. “We need strikes. The health is going to be a premium, of course, but his chance of factoring in for us is going to be how much he impacts the strike zone."