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The Detroit Tigers announced Monday that they have placed lefthander Daniel Norris on the 10-day disabled list. Norris left his start on Sunday against the Baltimore Orioles after aggravating a groin issue that plagued him earlier this year during spring training. Norris will undergo surgery on his groin to correct the issue, and will eventually be moved to the 60-day DL. To replace Norris on the 25-man roster, the Tigers have recalled lefthander Chad Bell.
Norris dealt with a groin problem during spring training, when he was pitching for a spot in the rotation. He was originally scheduled make a start during the first week of the season, but the game was rained out. Norris was then shuttled to the bullpen following Mike Fiers’ return from the DL, and has received inconsistent innings since then. Norris has made five appearances so far this year, including three in the past 10 days, and has a 5.87 ERA in 15 1⁄3 innings.
More concerning than Norris’ numbers were his velocity readings. He has averaged just 89.7 miles per hour with his fastball so far this season, and was at just 88.1 mph in his start on Sunday. He topped out at just 90 mph on Sunday, a concerning sign for a pitcher who hit the mid-90s consistently last season.
Chad Bell has pitched in 13 innings this season between Triple-A Toledo and the majors. He has made two appearances for the Tigers totaling 5 2⁄3 frames, and has allowed two runs on nine hits. He has also stranded four of five inherited runners so far.
While fans will wonder why Blaine Hardy isn’t getting the call-up, recalling Bell makes more sense right now. Hardy threw 83 pitches in his excellent outing on Sunday, and will be unavailable for the next few days as he recovers. He could potentially join the Tigers later this week if they decide to make another roster move, possibly before their four-game series in Kansas City over the weekend.
When Norris is placed on the 60-day disabled list, the Tigers will have two open spots on their 40-man roster.