WELCOME BACK:Tigers recall center fielder Parker Meadows from Triple-A Toledo.Tigers Explain Decision to Demote Parker Meadows, Plus…
The 24-year-old posted a .298 batting average with eight home runs, a .905 OPS, and a 19% strikeout rate over 47 games, also achieving 19 stolen bases out of 24 attempts. However, with the Tigers, he didn’t reach base frequently enough to replicate his base-stealing success from the Mud Hens, limiting him to three steals in four attempts in the majors, despite his elite speed.
If Meadows remains with the Tigers for the entire season, he will fall a few days short of accumulating a full year of MLB service time, pushing his projected free agency from after the 2029 season to after the 2030 season. Should he stay up for the next two seasons, he will qualify for Super Two status after the 2026 season, making him eligible for four years of salary arbitration from 2027 to 2030.
Currently, Meadows has 82 days of service time: 42 days in 2023 and 40 days in 2024. He needs 90 more days to reach the 172 days required for a full year of MLB service, but there are only 87 days left in the 2024 season.
Tigers Explain Decision to Demote Parker Meadows, Plus Plan for Center Field
On Thursday, Meadows went 2-for-4 with a walk and a stolen base for Triple-A Toledo. The Mud Hens defeated the Columbus Clippers, the Cleveland Guardians’ Triple-A affiliate, in a game held about 110 miles from Cincinnati, where Meadows will join the Tigers for their game against the Reds on Friday.
Meadows has demonstrated his ability to reach base with Toledo, getting on safely in 11 of his last 12 games, including a four-game hitting streak. Since June 5, he has hit .324 with 17 walks and 21 strikeouts over his past 25 games.
