Detroit Tigers outfielder Akil Baddoo may or may not make the team's Opening Day roster, according to Evan Woodberry of MLive. Baddoo put together a poor 2023 season, slashing .218/.310/.372 with 11 home runs, 34 RBI, and 14 stolen bases over 312 at-bats. The organization is high on Parker Meadows, who impressed with his defensive ability and speed on the basepaths in a small sample size of 37 games last season. The team could begin the season with Meadows at center field and Riley Greene and Matt Vierling occupying the corner outfield spots. That scenario doesn't leave room for Baddoo. He does have experience playing center field, however, so if Meadows were to struggle, he could fill in for him. The Detroit outfield should come into more focus as spring training gets underway, but for now, it looks like Baddoo could be on the outside looking in.

Detroit Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris said at the general manager meetings this week that the team is expected to tender outfielder Akil Baddoo a contract for 2024. "He still very much fits in...There is a role for him. We're not an organization that wants to give up players that can affect the game in that way for nothing," Harris said. In his first year of arbitration eligibility, Baddoo is projected to make less than $2 million in 2024, so the Tigers will keep the 25-year-old around despite another disappointing season in which he slashed .218/.310/.372 with 11 home runs, 13 doubles, a triple, 34 RBI, 14 stolen bases and 40 runs scored in 112 games played. Baddoo will likely be ticketed for a part-time role in 2024 and will give fantasy managers a modest power/speed combination.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Akil Baddoo is back in the starting lineup Wednesday night versus the Kansas City Royals and right-hander Jonathan Bowlan, who is making his MLB debut this evening. Baddoo didn't start Tuesday's series-opening 6-3 victory but did enter the game as a pinch-hitter and launched a mammoth 443-foot homer on the first pitch he saw in the eighth inning. Starts haven't been as consistent for Baddoo after prospect Parker Meadows was promoted to the big leagues and he has hit just .196 with two homers, one double, and a .608 OPS across 50 plate appearances in the month of September. He will take on a right-hander in Bowlan who has worked to a 5.91 ERA across 102 innings between Double-A and Triple-A this season.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Akil Baddoo went 2-for-4 at the plate with a two-run home run and two runs scored as the Tigers beat the Reds 8-2 on Thursday. The left-handed hitter entered the contest with only three hits in his last 20 at-bats. In the 2023 campaign, the 25-year-old has battled some injuries. He's posted a slash line of .224/.309/.369 in 101 contests. In 290 trips to the plate, Baddoo has hit 10 home runs while driving in 31 runs.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Akil Baddoo is out of the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Chicago White Sox. The left-handed slugger will sit out his second straight game, but he doesn't appear to be dealing with an injury. Baddoo went 0-for-7 with four strikeouts during their last series. That being said, the Tigers are deciding to give him some rest and try other options. Kerry Carpenter will start in right field and bat fifth versus right-hander Touki Toussaint on Friday. Fantasy managers should adjust their lineups accordingly.

The Detroit Tigers plan to activate outfielder Akil Baddoo (quadriceps) from the 10-day injured list on Friday in time for the series opener against the Toronto Blue Jays. Baddoo will be available to fantasy managers in deeper leagues for the final series of the first half of the season against Toronto. The 24-year-old has been out since early June with a right-quadriceps strain. He went 2-for-12 with a double in four games during his minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Toledo and will return to a .231/.341/.343 slash line with three home runs, 16 RBI, six stolen bases and 17 runs scored in 50 games at the major-league level. Baddoo hasn't been able to replicate the success he had in his rookie season in 2021, but he should play fairly regularly against right-handed pitching now that he's back.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Akil Baddoo (quadriceps) started a running progression on Monday and is also playing catch and hitting flips in the batting cages. Baddoo has been out for almost two weeks while dealing with a strained right quadriceps, but he could be nearing a rehab assignment later this week. However, there is no timetable for his return from the injured list. Before getting hurt, the 24-year-old left-handed hitter had been modestly contributing at the plate, going 33-for-143 (.231) with seven doubles, three home runs, 16 RBI, six stolen bases and 17 runs scored in 50 games. Baddoo isn't much of a mixed-league fantasy option.

The Detroit Tigers placed outfielder Akil Baddoo (quadriceps) on the 10-day injured list on Saturday with a right-quadriceps strain and recalled infielder/outfielder Nick Solak from Triple-A Toledo in a corresponding move. Baddoo hurt himself in Friday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks and will now miss at least the next 10 days of action. The 24-year-old left-handed hitter has been struggling so far in June and is hitting just .231 (33-for-143) overall with seven doubles, three home runs, 16 RBI and six stolen bases in 50 games in 2023. He can continue being left to the waiver wire in mixed leagues. Solak, who was just claimed off waivers on Friday, should serve as a backup outfielder behind Kerry Carpenter for the time being.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Akil Baddoo had to leave the game due to an evident leg injury in a Friday loss to Arizona. Baddoo seemed to have strained his quad while exerting himself to reach first base after grounding out, which marked the end of the fourth inning. As a result, Andy Ibanez stepped in as his defensive replacement at the beginning of the fifth inning. The 24-year-old will undergo an additional assessment to determine the extent of the injury, and the Tigers are expected to release an update on his condition soon. In 143 at-bats, Baddoo carries a batting average of .231 with three home runs and 16 RBI.

The Detroit Tigers optioned outfielder Akil Baddoo to Triple-A Toledo on Monday, among other roster moves. The 24-year-old generated some fantasy buzz after displaying pop and speed potential in 2021, but he slashed just .204/.289/.269 with two home runs, nine RBI, and nine stolen bases in 225 plate appearances last season. He did have an overall successful spring offensively, batting .250 with three HR and three stolen bases in 48 at-bats. Baddoo may be worth keeping in mind in deep roto leagues later on in the season, but he will not be a fantasy factor to start the season.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Akil Baddoo is starting in left field and batting leadoff on Thursday against the Kansas City Royals and right-hander Jonathan Heasley. Baddoo was out of the lineup against a left-handed pitcher on Wednesday, but he's back in there on Thursday and is hitting in the top spot in the order for the first time since May. The 24-year-old broke out in his rookie season with Detroit in 2021, but he's hitting a lowly .202/.287/.274 this year with only two home runs, nine RBI, 25 runs scored and six stolen bases in 188 plate appearances and 65 games. He's been better in September, though, going 10-for-39 (.256) with a homer and four RBI in 18 games played, making him a DFS sleeper play in the leadoff spot on Thursday.

Detroit Tigers manager AJ Hinch announced Monday night that outfielder Akil Baddoo will be recalled from Triple-A Toledo Tuesday, per Detroit News' Chris McCosky. Kody Clemens will be optioned in a corresponding move. Hinch said that Baddoo may not be in the lineup Tuesday, as the Tigers will face lefty Kris Bubic. Baddoo has hit very well in Triple-A this season, slashing .300/.405/.500 with three home runs, 15 RBI, and seven steals in 30 games. The 23-year-old flashed some power and speed last season and may be worth a roster spot in deeper roto leagues upon his recall.

The Detroit Tigers optioned outfielder Akil Baddoo to Triple-A Toledo on Monday and recalled right-handed pitcher Rony Garcia from Toledo in a corresponding move. Baddoo came out of nowhere last year in Detroit, but so far this year he has experienced a lot of regression at the plate. The 23-year-old lost playing time recently to Derek Hill in center field, and now he'll head to the minors to work on his approach and gain confidence. Baddoo was hitting just .140/.218/.220 with a 27.3% strikeout rate in his first 55 plate appearances to begin the year. The former second-round pick can be dropped in shallower fantasy leagues for now. Garcia has pitched in 6 1/3 innings for Detroit this year and has allowed two earned runs while walking two and striking out five in four relief appearances.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Akil Baddoo hit his first home run of the season Wednesday, going deep off Nathan Eovaldi of the Boston Red Sox in a 9-7 loss. The long ball was just Baddoo's second hit of the season, and he's already struck out six times in just 16 at-bats through five games played. He has not yet walked. While Baddoo possesses considerable upside with his power and speed, his spot at the back of the Tigers' lineup could be a challenge to overcome. With Austin Meadows in the fold and Riley Greene on the way back, Baddoo may not see enough at-bats to repeat his 2021 success.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Akil Baddoo is getting the Opening Day start in center field and is batting seventh on Friday against Chicago White Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito. Robbie Grossman and Austin Meadows are Detroit's other outfielders to kick off the season. Top prospect Riley Greene (foot) is the favorite to be the team's starting center fielder eventually, but he'll be out for multiple months with a fractured foot. Victor Reyes is the other option in center, but he'll open the year as the fourth outfielder for now. Baddoo could sit against lefties, but his fantasy arrow is pointing up after hitting .259/.330/.436 with 13 home runs, 55 RBI, 60 runs and 18 stolen bases in 124 games in his rookie season.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Akil Baddoo continued to swing a hot bat to begin Spring Training, going 1-for-3 with a solo home run to begin the game off land-hander Hyun Jin Ryu. Baddo's fantasy value's limited by his inability to hit lefties after he managed just a .214 batting average and 47 wRC+ against southpaws in 2021. However, he smashed right-handers and ended his rookie season with a .259/.330/.436 slash line with 13 HRs and 18 SBs. Manager A.J. Hinch will likely platoon the 23-year-old, but he could become an everyday player if keeps improving against left-handers. He's become an attractive draft target to fantasy managers thanks to his power-speed profile and has an ADP of 159. That might be too expensive for a guy that doesn't play everyday, however.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Akil Baddoo has done a ton of work in the offseason to improve himself. Last season was Baddoo's first year back after having Tommy John surgery. He admits that his arm wasn't 100 percent during the 2021 season. However, he has done stretching and workouts over the offseason to help with his arm strength. It sounds like the 23-year-old is preparing himself for a possible breakout campaign in 2022. He slashed .259/.330/.436 with 13 home runs and 55 RBI through 124 games in 2021. It's only hopefully going to get better for Baddoo in 2022.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Akil Baddoo started Friday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays off with a bang. He hit a leadoff home run to right field measured at 382 feet to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead out of the gate. It wound up to be his only hit of the day as he went 1-for-5 with two strikeouts. The 23-year-old rookie is slashing .255/.323/.453 with 13 home runs, 14 stolen bases, 50 RBI and 55 runs over 112 games on the year. He's remained the Tigers' primary leadoff hitter despite struggling a bit over the past few months. He was a great stolen base asset earlier in the year, but he hasn't swiped a single bag since late July. He doesn't have much fantasy value outside of AL-only leagues and deep, five-outfielder leagues at this point.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Akil Baddoo is heading to the bench for Thursday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays. Robbie Grossman is leading off in the game and starting in the outfield alongside Derek Hill and Eric Haase. Baddoo has been the team's primary leadoff hitter for a big chunk of the season, but he hasn't been producing much over the past few months. He slashed .200/.200/.280 in August and has a .239/.340/.435 slash line so far in September. The 23-year-old rookie has 14 stolen bases on the year, but he hasn't so much as attempted a stolen base since late July.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Akil Baddoo isn't in Saturday's lineup. Detroit will take on the Cincinnati Reds and right-handed starter Tyler Mahle but will do so with one of their best hitters on the bench. Baddoo is batting .257 with a .324 on-base percentage, 12 home runs, and 14 stolen bases in 367 plate appearances this season. Detroit is starting Derek Hill in center field instead of Baddoo against Mahle and the Reds. Hill could be worth a look as a streaming option for fantasy managers in deeper leagues who are searching for stolen bases. In 125 plate appearances this season, the 25-year-old is hitting .272 with a .336 on-base percentage, three home runs, and six stolen bases. The 25-year-old is batting eighth on Saturday.