Saupold signed a contract with the Hanwha Eagles of the Korean Baseball Organization on Wednesday, Dan Kurtz of MyKBO.net reports.
Saupold will take his talents overseas after being outrighted off the Tigers' 40-man roster during the 2018 season. The 28-year-old right-hander failed to impress across parts of three major-league seasons with the Tigers, posting a combined 4.98 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, 5.9 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9 across 106.2 innings.
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Tigers' Warwick Saupold: Clears waivers and heads to Triple-A
Rotowire
Saupold cleared waivers Monday and was outrighted to Triple-A Toledo.
The righty was designated for assignment Saturday. His 4.46 ERA through 34.1 major-league innings this season is not terrible but was evidently not enough for another team to claim him off waivers. His underlying numbers suggest he was lucky to even record that mediocre number, as he struck out just 10.1 percent of batters.
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Tigers' Warwick Saupold: Designated for assignment
Rotowire
Saupold was designated for assignment by the Tigers on Saturday.
He was bumped off the 40-man roster after the Tigers claimed Josh Smoker off waivers. Saupold owns a career 4.98 ERA and 1.58 WHIP over 106.2 innings in the majors.
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Tigers' Warwick Saupold: Optioned to Triple-A
Rotowire
Saupold was optioned to Triple-A Toledo on Wednesday.
The 28-year-old has posted a mediocre 4.46 ERA in 34.1 innings with the Tigers so far this season. His peripherals do not support that ERA, as he's relied on an unsustainably high 81.9 percent left on base rate and is striking out just 10.1 percent of batters faced. Victor Alcantara's contract was selected in a corresponding move.
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Tigers' Warwick Saupold: Gets win over Indians
Rotowire
Saupold (4-1) picked up the win Saturday against the Indians, firing two scoreless and hitless innings on 23 pitches.
Saupold rose to the occasion in extra innings and retired every batter he faced. It was important for Saupold to bounce back in this fashion after giving up four earned runs in his last two outings (3.1 IP). He figures to continue on in a low-to-medium leverage role out of the Detroit bullpen.
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Tigers' Warwick Saupold: Grabs win Thursday
Rotowire
Saupold (2-1) picked up the win Thursday against the Mariners by retiring the lone batter he faced.
This was about as easy a win as a pitcher can get, as Saupold needed just three pitches to induce a Jean Segura groundout in the bottom of the seventh before the Tigers scored twice in the top of the eighth to pull ahead. The 28-year-old has been fairly effective as he now has a 2.30 ERA, though his 1.40 WHIP and six strikeouts in 15.2 innings suggest some regression may be coming.
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Tigers' Warwick Saupold: Returns from hamstring tightness
Rotowire
Saupold has returned from minor hamstring tightness, and has a 2.45 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 5:6 K:BB in 11 innings out of the Tigers bullpen this season.
The strikeouts and walks suggest Saupold is fortunate to boast his current ratios. He is typically used in low-leverage spots and has minimal fantasy value.
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Tigers' Warwick Saupold: Dealing with hamstring tightness
Rotowire
Saupold felt his hamstring tighten during his appearance against the Royals on Thursday, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.
Saupold was able to stay in the game and finish his outing, and he said after the game that he expects to be fine for Friday's matchup. He owns a 2.70 ERA through 10 innings this season despite an unsightly 4:5 K:BB.
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Tigers' Warwick Saupold: Earns seven-out save
Rotowire
Saupold earned his first career save Saturday against the Royals, pitching 2.1 innings without allowing a single baserunner.
While Saupold technically earned the save, he's in no way part of the closer conversation in Detroit. He entered the game with two outs in the top of the seventh and a three-run lead. That lead was promptly stretched to six in the bottom of the seventh and eight in the bottom of the eighth. If the game remained close, the Tigers almost certainly would have gone away from their long reliever. Still, it's a promising outing for Saupold, who has now thrown 5.2 innings and has yet to allow a run. With a strikeout rate of 4.7 percent, though, don't expect him to climb into a high-leverage role anytime soon.
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Tigers' Warwick Saupold: Rejoins Tigers
Rotowire
Saupold was called up from Triple-A Toledo on Friday.
Saupold opened the year in the Tigers' bullpen but lasted just 10 days before being sent down. He didn't give up a run in any of his four relief appearances, but he also didn't strike out a single batter. With a career 5.00 ERA in 75.2 major-league innings, he'll be a low-leverage reliever with minimal fantasy impact if and when he makes his way back up.
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Tigers' Warwick Saupold: Makes Triple-A start Monday
Rotowire
Saupold was in line to be the Tigers' 26th man for a doubleheader Sunday, but with the games rained out, he got the start for Triple-A Toledo on Monday instead, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.
Saupold tossed three scoreless innings with three strikeouts in his start for the Mud Hens. The 28-year-old Australian is a versatile reliever who can work multiple innings, so he's likely to get other opportunities when a need arises at the MLB level. However, a long reliever who might bounce between Triple-A and the majors all season doesn't offer a ton of fantasy value.
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Tigers' Warwick Saupold: Could head to majors for Sunday's twin bill
Rotowire
Saupold is the leading candidate to be called up as the 26th man for Sunday's doubleheader, John Wagner of The Toledo Blade reports.
MLB rules allow teams to call up an extra player from the minor leagues for doubleheaders and return them immediately following the nightcap. Saupold's ability to work multiple innings makes him a good bet to head to the majors, though no official move has been made at this point.
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Tigers' Warwick Saupold: Optioned to Triple-A
Rotowire
Saupold was optioned to Triple-A Toledo on Saturday, Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Saupold was optioned to make room for Mike Fiers, who is set to return from the disabled list to make his first start of the season Sunday. Saupold hadn't given up a run in 3.1 innings of relief so far this season, though he also didn't strike out anyone either. He'll work out of the rotation for Toledo and will likely be back up with the Tigers at some point later this season.
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Tigers' Warwick Saupold: Cracks Opening Day roster
Rotowire
Saupold has made the Tigers' Opening Day roster.
As expected, Saupold will open the season in the big-league bullpen with fellow reliever Johnny Barbato (forearm) set to open the season on the disabled list. The 28-year-old, who posted a 4.88 ERA across 62.2 innings with the Tigers in 2017, is expected to fill a long-relief role.
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Tigers' Warwick Saupold: Likely to make Opening Day roster
Rotowire
Saupold is likely to begin the season at the MLB level with fellow reliever Johnny Barbato dealing with an elbow issue, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.
Saupold and Barbato were believed to be battling for the final bullpen spot, and with the latter unlikely to be ready by Opening Day, Saupold looks good to make the team. The 28-year-old Australian posted a 4.88 ERA in 62.2 innings for the Tigers last season, and he will likely serve as a long reliever to begin 2018.
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Tigers' Warwick Saupold: Hopes to avoid fatigue this season
Rotowire
Saupold, who said he dealt with arm fatigue toward the end of last season, will do less between outings in an effort to stay fresh, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.
Saupold gave the Tigers some good innings in 2017 and entered September with a 3.88 ERA, only to see that balloon to 4.88 by the end of the month. "I handled the workload. I think the stuff between outings killed me. I just think I threw way too much and it just caught up to me after the All-Star break," Saupold said. The 28-year-old Australian will focus on lighter work between outings this season in an effort to finish the year strong. Saupold figures to either make the MLB roster as a long reliever or head to Triple-A as a starter at the end of spring training.
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Tigers' Warwick Saupold: Allows run Thursday
Rotowire
Saupold allowed one run in one-third of an inning Thursday against the Twins.
Saupold's ERA continues to climb this season, rising to 4.80 after Thursday's performance. Over his last 11 appearances, he has given up 13 runs in only 10.2 innings -- demonstrating that he is prone to giving up the big inning. However, there's hope that he can become more than just a low-leverage pitcher out of the bullpen, since he's pitched well in Triple-A over the last two seasons (ERA of 2.90 in 2017 and 2.30 in 2016).
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Tigers' Warwick Saupold: Picks up win Sunday
Rotowire
Saupold (2-1) picked up the win Sunday against Toronto by pitching a spotless 11th inning.
Saupold was the seventh Detroit pitcher of the game, and he retired the Blue Jays in order in the top of the 11th. He then won when the Tigers scored on a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the inning. The Australian right-hander now has a 2.14 ERA and 1.01 WHIP while serving as a strong long-relief option in a generally shaky Detroit bullpen.
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Tigers' Warwick Saupold: Former starter adjusting well to bullpen role
Rotowire
Saupold has a 2.53 ERA and 0.98 WHIP in 21.1 innings over 13 appearances this season.
Primarily being used in long relief, the Australian pitcher has only allowed runs to score in two appearances this season, albeit three runs each time. Saupold is holding batters to a .241 average against him and is handing out walks at a rate of 2.1 per nine innings.
