Tigers pitching coach Chris Bosio suggested Wednesday that Stumpf will enter the season as the team's top left-hander out of the bullpen, Chris McCosky of MLive.com reports. "Big stuff, great stuff," Bosio said of Stumpf. "This guy knows what he's doing. We are trying some things with him and he's got the aptitude to do it, as well. We've got a special left-handed reliever right there in Daniel."

EDGE Analysis

So far in spring training, Stumpf has picked up where he left off in 2017, when he finished the season as the Tigers' undisputed top southpaw reliever. Considering the lack of impact arms in the Detroit bullpen, however, that distinction doesn't mean a whole lot for Stumpf, who remains best suited for a true LOOGY role rather than one that requires him to record three-plus outs against hitters from either side of the dish. Opposing righties torched Stumpf last season to the tune of a .873 OPS, a 261-point difference from his mark against lefties.