Mahtook signed a minor-league deal with the White Sox on Friday, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.
Mahtook has flashed potential as at least a platoon bat at times in the past, hitting .276/.330/.457 in a part-time role for the Tigers back in 2017. He's hit just .183/.258/.325 since then, however, and didn't get into a single big-league game last season. Now 31 years old, it would be a surprise if he rebounds and finds himself in a fantasy-relevant role.
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Phillies' Mikie Mahtook: Reports to camp
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Mahtook (illness) cleared the league's COVID-19 protocols and reported to camp Sunday, Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports.
Mahtook was absent for the first couple weeks of camp after testing positive for coronavirus, but he's now able to work out with the team. The 30-year-old joined the Phillies as a non-roster invitee in December, and he's likely a longshot to make the season-opening roster given his late arrival and the team's outfield depth.
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Phillies' Mikie Mahtook: Tests positive for coronavirus
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Mahtook tested positive for COVID-19, Meghan Montemurro of The Athletic reports.
Mahtook joined the Phillies as a non-roster invitee over the winter and is a long shot to play a significant role with the team this season. It's not clear when he's expected to join his teammates.
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Phillies' Mikie Mahtook: Gets spot on 60-man roster
Rotowire
Mahtook will be part of the Phillies' 60-man roster.
Mahtook, who is not on the 40-man roster, was brought in via a minor-league deal in December after three seasons with Detroit. Most of last season was spent at the Triple-A level, where he accumulated a .849 OPS with 21 home runs. While expanded rosters may help his case, there's still plenty of serviceable competition in the Philadelphia outfield he'll need to beat out in order to break camp.
Mahtook's fellow outfielders Kyle Garlick and Nick Williams were optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Thursday, Matt Breen of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
The moves could increase Mahtook's odds of winning a bench spot, but it's possible he would have been optioned as well were he on the 40-man roster rather than in camp as a non-roster invitee. He hit just .208 in 13 spring games but managed two home runs. If Andrew McCutchen's knee is ready to go whenever play resumes, there doesn't appear to be a spot left for Mahtook, as Roman Quinn and Jay Bruce are available to back up McCutchen, Adam Haseley and Bryce Harper.
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Phillies' Mikie Mahtook: Signs minors deal with Phillies
Rotowire
Mahtook signed a minor-league contract with the Phillies on Wednesday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.
Mahtook will receive an invitation to big-league camp as part of the deal and will make $850,000 if he wins a major-league job. The 30-year-old's career .235/.292/.405 slash line in 291 major-league games is enough to put in him contention for a bench spot, but not necessarily enough to make him a favorite to win one.
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Tigers' Mikie Mahtook: Returns from injury
Rotowire
Mahtook (undisclosed) went 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI for Triple-A Toledo on Wednesday.
Mahtook suffered an unspecified injury last week and was briefly sidelined for the Mud Hens, but he is 5-for-8 in his first two games back in the lineup. The 29-year-old has a .265/.361/.485 slash line in 74 games at Toledo this season.
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Tigers' Mikie Mahtook: Dealing with undisclosed injury
Rotowire
Mahtook was removed from Tuesday's game at Triple-A Toledo with an unspecified injury, Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Mahtook has been with Toledo since being removed from the 40-man roster in April and has an .823 OPS in 72 games with the Mud Hens. It's currently unclear if the 29-year-old is expected to require a trip to the injured list.
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Tigers' Mikie Mahtook: Clears waivers
Rotowire
Mahtook cleared waivers Saturday and was outrighted to Triple-A Toledo.
Mahtook showed promise in 2017, but his production fell off in 2018 and continued into this season. After starting 0-for-23 at the plate, his designation was no surprise. His spot will be filled by JaCoby Jones, who is returning from the injured list after a shoulder sprain held him out to begin the season.
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Tigers' Mikie Mahtook: Removed from roster
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The Tigers designated Mahtook for assignment Thursday, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.
After opening the season with a 0-for-23 slump at the plate, Mahtook will lose his spot on the 40-man and active roster with JaCoby Jones (shoulder) due to return from the 10-day injured list. Since Mahtook has no minor-league options remaining, the Tigers will have to expose him to waivers before outrighting him to Triple-A Toledo.
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Tigers' Mikie Mahtook: Sitting again
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Mahtook is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Indians, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.
A two-day break wasn't enough for Mahtook to break his cold streak to begin the season, as he returned to action for Tuesday's series opener and went 0-for-4, leaving him hitless through 23 at-bats. Mahtook should see semi-regular action through the end of the week but will likely be the top choice for a demotion when JaCoby Jones (shoulder) is activated from the injured list.
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Tigers' Mikie Mahtook: Sitting in third straight
Rotowire
Mahtook is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Royals.
Mahtook opened the season as the Tigers' presumptive top center fielder with JaCoby Jones (shoulder) on the injured list, but Mahtook's hold on the No. 1 job now looks tenuous at best. He'll be on the bench for a third straight game while Niko Goodrum gets a spin in center.
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Tigers' Mikie Mahtook: Retreats to bench
Rotowire
Mahtook is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Yankees.
Mahtook is hitless through his first five appearances this season (16 at-bats), so he'll head to the bench to clear his head. Niko Goodrum will cover center field in his stead, pushing Jeimer Candelario to DH duties while opening up a spot in the lineup for Gordon Beckham to start at the hot corner.
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Tigers' Mikie Mahtook: Sitting Saturday
Rotowire
Mahtook is not in Saturday's lineup against the Blue Jays.
He went 0-for-7 with four strikeouts in the first two games of the season. Dustin Peterson gets the nod in left field while Niko Goodrum slides to center field.
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Tigers' Mikie Mahtook: Pops third spring home run
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Mahtook went 1-for-2 with a walk, a two-run home run and two runs scored in Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Blue Jays.
Mahtook has had a decent spring, as he now has an .850 OPS to go along with three home runs, eight RBI and two stolen bases. The 29-year-old regressed in 2018, as he posted a .635 OPS after registering a .787 mark a season earlier. Mahtook could begin the season as the Tigers' starting center fielder with JaCoby Jones (shoulder) slated to open the year on the injured list. Jones isn't expected to be out very long, so Mahtook could return to the bench unless he gets off to a hot start and forces his way into more playing time.
Mahtook went 2-for-3 with two solo home runs in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Cardinals.
Mahtook's first two spring home runs helped push his Grapefruit League OPS to 1.298. After a relatively successful 2017, the 29-year-old regressed significantly last season with a .202/.276/.359 slash line. A strong spring could help Mahtook earn a little more playing time to begin the season, though he is likely going to break camp as a reserve outfielder.
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Tigers' Mikie Mahtook: Picks up start in left Saturday
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Mahtook is starting in left field and batting fifth in Saturday's game against the Brewers, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.
With Christin Stewart (abdomen) being held out for the second straight day, Mahtook gets another chance to start in left. After a solid 2017 campaign, the 28-year-old has regressed this season with a .208/.281/.370 slash line. It's unclear what his 2019 role might be with the rebuilding Tigers, as Stewart and Nick Castellanos seem to have the corner-outfield spots locked down, leaving Mahtook, JaCoby Jones and Victor Reyes as the existing members of the roster who could be jockeying for the job in center.
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Tigers' Mikie Mahtook: Clubs go-ahead homer Saturday
Rotowire
Mahtook went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer Saturday in the eighth inning that proved to be the game-winner against the Royals.
Mahtook deposited a Jason Hammel pitch into the left-field seats with a runner on for his ninth home run of the year, putting the Tigers ahead for good. One member of the Tigers' outfield glut being evaluated for 2019, Mahtook, who turns 29 in November, has also taken reps at first base, hoping to enhance his candidacy for a long-term role as Detroit rebuilds. His lackluster .217/.289/.389 slash line, however, doesn't do him many favors.
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Tigers' Mikie Mahtook: Working out at first base
Rotowire
Mahtook took fielding practice at first base Friday, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.
With Victor Martinez set to retire, Miguel Cabrera could be a full-time designated hitter next season, opening up at-bats at first base. Mahtook would be an unusual candidate for those at-bats, however, as his .216/.290/.377 line already plays poorly in the outfield and wouldn't be close to good enough at first base. The added defensive flexibility could at least help him stick around in a bench capacity.
