In a move that adds another chapter to the storied Cruz baseball lineage, the Tigers called up Trei Cruz last Friday after Wenceel Pérez was sidelined with a facial fracture. With this debut, Trei joined his father, José Cruz Jr., a Gold Glove recipient, and grandfather, José Cruz, an Astros Hall of Famer, in making baseball history as just the fifth family to have three generations in the major leagues.
The Cruzes were in attendance during the Tigers’ series against the White Sox, where Trei started in both the opener and the finale. Unfortunately, he couldn’t secure his first major league hit while they watched from the stands.
After just two games and five at-bats, the Tigers made the tough decision to send Cruz back to Triple-A. On Tuesday, they announced the promotion of outfielder Ben Malgeri, who has been lighting it up in Triple-A. To make room for Malgeri on the 40-man roster, Burch Smith was moved to the 60-day IL.
Malgeri, who has been flying under the radar in the Tigers’ system, has been turning heads with his performance at Triple-A Toledo. Fans, who had been eager for a change after Pérez’s struggles, were thrilled to see Malgeri get his shot.
His impressive numbers this season include a .296 batting average, an .897 OPS, nine home runs, and 34 RBIs through 65 games. Notably, he had a standout performance on June 14, going 3-for-5 with four RBIs, just shy of hitting for the cycle.
The Tigers, who are cautiously optimistic about their upward trajectory, seem to be in a phase where they can’t afford to be overly patient with player performance. The decision to option Cruz after a brief stint might seem abrupt, but it underscores the urgency for more production from the lower half of their lineup. With Hao-Yu Lee beginning to find his groove, there’s hope for improvement, but the Tigers are clearly looking for immediate impact.
If Malgeri doesn’t seize this opportunity, we could see Cruz making a return, setting the stage for a back-and-forth battle for a roster spot. The Tigers are in a tight spot, needing contributions now, even as they navigate limited options.