Austin Slater, a left-handed hitter who wrapped up his time with the Yankees last season, is moving on and signing a minor league deal with the Tigers.
This agreement, first reported by Jon Heyman on Tuesday, includes an invitation to Major League Spring Training and could net Slater up to $2 million if he makes the final roster, along with an additional $500,000 in performance bonuses.
At 33 years old, Slater was brought in from the White Sox during the last season’s trade deadline to add some right-handed power to the Yankees, who predominantly relied on left-handed bats. He had impressive stats, hitting .285 with an OPS of .837 against lefties from 2017 to 2023.
Unfortunately, he suffered a hamstring injury after just two games with the Yankees, which sidelined him for over a month. Despite showing promise with an .814 OPS against left-handed pitchers at the time, his stint in New York was mostly forgettable, as he logged only one hit in 16 at-bats and struck out 11 times against southpaws.
Overall, Slater participated in 53 games between New York and Chicago last season, batting .216 with five homers and 13 RBIs. The Yankees did pursue him for a potential reunion, offering a one-year contract worth $1 million, but ultimately decided to go after another left-handed hitter, Paul Goldschmidt.
Manager Aaron Boone noted that things might shift during the spring and through the season regarding player acquisitions, indicating there’s always room for improvement and alignment with the team’s culture. Meanwhile, Slater, who has a career average of .248 with 45 home runs across several teams including the Giants and Orioles, stands to make significantly more in Detroit than what New York was willing to offer.
Interestingly, Slater’s first day with the Tigers also coincided with another notable signing: the team secured legendary pitcher Justin Verlander on a one-year deal valued at $13 million.
