TIGERS AGREE TO TERMS WITH LEFTHANDED PITCHER MATT MOORE
The Detroit Tigers have agreed to terms with lefthanded pitcher Matt Moore on a one-year Major League contract.
“Matt is a veteran lefthanded starting pitcher with a solid three-pitch mix that we see competing for a spot in our rotation next season,” said Tigers Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager, Al Avila. “He has the ability to effectively use the whole strike zone with his arsenal, and we’re excited for him to join our organization.”
Moore, 29, spent the entire 2018 season with the Texas Rangers, appearing in 39 games, including 12 starts, and posting a 3-8 record with a 6.79 ERA (102.0IP/77ER) and 86 strikeouts. He ranked third on the Rangers in strikeouts, while he was fourth in innings pitched and fifth in appearances. Moore finished the season on a strong note, compiling a 3.09 ERA (11.2IP/4ER) with a 0.94 WHIP and .214 (9×42) opponents batting average in nine September outings.
Moore was originally drafted by Tampa Bay in the eighth round of the 2007 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. In eight Major League seasons with Tampa Bay (2011-16), San Francisco (2016-17) and Texas (2018), Moore has a 54-56 record with a 4.56 ERA (884.2IP/448ER) and 797 strikeouts. Moore was named to the American League All-Star Team in 2013 with the Rays, posting a 17-4 record with a 3.29 ERA (150.1IP/55ER) and 143 strikeouts. He was ranked as Baseball America’s No. 2 overall prospect entering the 2012 season.
A native of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Moore attended Moriarty High School in Edgewood, New Mexico, where he was named Gatorade’s New Mexico Player of the Year as a senior.
With the signing of Moore, the Tigers 40-man roster is now at 38.