20 ex-Tigers will be in 2020 MLB playoffs: Do you remember all of them?

DETROIT — It’s a larger than usual playoff field in 2020, and that means a larger than usual crop of ex-Tigers to follow.

Twenty players who were once part of the Detroit Tigers system will play for 13 of the 16 teams participating in the 2020 MLB playoffs.

Many of the names have been on this list many, many times before, like Yankees relievers Chad Green and Luis Cessa.

Others, like Avisail Garcia, Robbie Ray and Cameron Maybin, have joined new teams since the last time they were listed here.

And still others, like reliever Trevor Rosenthal, had such brief tenures in Detroit that you might not even remember they once played here.

The wild card round of the expanded playoffs begins on Tuesday afternoon.

This list was finalized before all playoff rosters were released, so it’s possible that not all of the players below will be in action.

Joakim Soria, Athletics

Played for the Tigers: 2014-2015

How he got here: The Tigers traded him to the Pittsburgh Pirates for JaCoby Jones. This is his fifth team since leaving Detroit.

How he’s done: Soria proved to be a solid signing for the Athletics. He posted a 3.94 ERA (3.46 FIP) in 91 innings over the last two seasons, striking out 103.

Mike Fiers, Athletics

Played for the Tigers: First four months of 2018.

How he got here: Tigers traded him to the Athletics on Aug. 6, 2018.

How he’s done: Fiers is 26-9 with a 4.00 ERA in 296 innings since joining the Athletics, who have found value in signing affordable veterans that might be overlooked by other teams. Fiers, of course, is best known for being the whistleblower in the 2017 Houston Astros cheating scandal.

Luis Cessa, Yankees

Played for the Tigers: Spent part of 2015 in the Tigers’ minor-league system.

How he got here: Traded along with Chad Green to the Yankees for Justin Wilson after the 2015 season.

How he’s done: Last year, his first truly full season at the big-league level, Cessa was a workhorse multi-inning reliever, logging 81 innings in 43 appearances. In 2020, he’s posted a career-low 3.32 ERA in 21 2/3 innings.

Chad Green, Yankees

Played for the Tigers: In the minor-league system 2013-2015.

How he got here: Traded to the Yankees along with Luis Cessa for Justin Wilson after the 2015 season.

How he’s done: It’s hard to say a guy who plays for the Yankees is an unsung hero, but there have been few relievers more consistent over the last four years than Chad Green. In 2020, he struck out 32 in 25 innings and posted a 3.51 ERA.

Robbie Ray, Blue Jays

Played for the Tigers: Made his MLB debut with the Tigers in 2014 after being acquired in the trade that sent Doug Fister to the Nationals.

How he got here: The Tigers traded him to the Diamondbacks after the 2014 season as part of a three-team trade that sent Shane Greene to the Tigers and Didi Gregorius to the Yankees. He was traded to the Blue Jays on Aug. 31 and will be a free agent after the season.

How he’s done: He’s made only five appearances with the Jays, posting a 4.79 ERA in 20 2/3 innings.

Willy Adames, Rays

Played for the Tigers: Signed with the Tigers and played in the organization in 2013-2014.

How he got here: Tigers sent him to the Rays as part of the David Price trade on July 31, 2014.

How he’s done: He’s been a prospect so long it’s hard to believe he’s only 25. Adames posted an .813 OPS in 54 games while playing above-average defense in 2020.

Alex Avila, Twins

Played for the Tigers: Drafted by Detroit in 2008 and played for the Tigers from 2009-2015 and then a second stint in 2017.

How he got here: The Tigers traded him to the Cubs in 2017 along with Justin Wilson in exchange for Jeimer Candelario and Isaac Paredes. Avila signed with the Diamondbacks before the 2018 season and then joined the Twins last winter.

How he’s done: Avila has battled back problems in 2020 and played in just 23 games, posting a .641 OPS.

Caleb Thielbar, Twins

Played for the Tigers: He was in Detroit’s minor-league system in 2018 and 2019, posting good numbers in Erie and Toledo but never getting called up to the big leagues.

How he got here: The 33-year-old left-handed reliever was on the verge of retirement when he got a call from the Twins, the organization where he spent the early part of his career.

How he’s done: Thielbar has posted a 2.25 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 20 innings for Minnesota.

James McCann, White Sox

Played for the Tigers: He was drafted by the Tigers in 2011 and played in the big leagues from 2014-2018.

How he got here: The Tigers chose not to offer him a contract after a subpar 2018 season and he signed a free-agent deal with the White Sox.

How he’s done: Signed as a backup, McCann has ended playing extensively behind the plate, posting an .808 OPS in 149 games over the last two years.

Avisail Garcia, Brewers

Played for the Tigers: Came up in the Tigers system (2008-2012) and made a brief big-league debut in 2012.

How he got here: Tigers sent him to the White Sox as part of a three-team deal that included Jake Peavy (from Chicago to Boston) and Jose Iglesias (Boston to Detroit). He signed as a free agent with the Rays in 2019 and then with the Brewers last winter.

How he’s done: Garcia parlayed a strong 2019 campaign into a nice contract, but he’s struggled offensively (.659) and hit just two home runs in 207 plate appearances this year.

Corey Knebel

Played for the Tigers: Drafted by Detroit in 2013, Knebel pitched very briefly in the big leagues in 2014 before the Tigers traded him to the Rangers for Joakim Soria.

How he got here: The Rangers dealt him to the Brewers before the 2015 season as part of a deal for Yovanni Gallardo.

How he’s done: Knebel missed all of 2019 after undergoing Tommy John surgery and has pitched fairly sparingly in 2020 as he tries to work his way back to his dominance of 2017-2018.

Matthew Joyce, Marlins

Played for the Tigers: Drafted by the Tigers in 2005 and made his big-league debut in 2008.

How he got here: The Tigers traded him to the Rays for Edwin Jackson after the 2008 season. He’s since played for several teams and was signed as a free agent before the season.

How he’s done: The 36-year-old has carved out a niche as a bench player and pinch-hitter, although his offense has dipped a bit in 2020.

Shane Greene, Braves

Played for the Tigers: 2015-2019.

How he got here: Traded to the Braves on July 31, 2019, in exchange for outfielder Travis Demeritte and left-hander Joey Wentz.

How he’s done: He lost his closer role soon after arriving in Atlanta but has remained a reliable late-inning reliever despite racking up just one save over two seasons with the Braves. He has a 3.27 ERA in 52 innings in Atlanta.

Andrew Miller, Cardinals

Played for the Tigers: First-round draft pick in 2006, who played in the big leagues in 2006-2007.

How he got here: Traded to the Marlins along with Cameron Maybin in exchange for Miguel Cabrera after the 2007 season. He pitched on several teams after that, signing with the Cardinals before the 2019 season.

How he’s done: The now 36-year-old Miller may never recapture his dominance of 2014-2017, but he’s been a serviceable reliever for the Cards in 2020 when healthy, posting a 2.77 ERA in 13 innings.

Cameron Maybin, Cubs

Played for the Tigers: Drafted by Detroit in 2005, Maybin has had three separate stints with the Tigers, most recently during the early part of 2020.

How he got here: The Tigers traded Maybin to the Cubs on Aug. 31 in exchange for minor-league infielder Zack Short.

How he’s done: Maybin has a .669 OPS in 18 games as a bench player for the Cubs.

Kyle Ryan, Cubs

Played for the Tigers: Drafted by Detroit in 2010, Ryan pitched in the big leagues for parts of four seasons from 2014-2017.

How he got here: He became a free agent after the 2017 season and signed a minor-league deal with the Cubs.

How he’s done: Ryan has spent each of the last seasons in the Cubs’ bullpen, posting a 3.87 ERA over 76 2/3 innings.

Eugenio Suarez, Reds

Played for the Tigers: Signed out of Venezuela by the Tigers, Suarez was in the organization for five years before making his debut in 2014.

How he got here: He was traded to the Reds after the 2014 season for Alfredo Simon.

How he’s done: Suarez has been one of the league’s top hitters over the last four years and has gotten on track after a slow start in 2020. He was hitting .086 with no homers through his first 10 games, but has hit 15 homers and posted an .871 OPS since then.

Nick Castellanos, Reds

Played for the Tigers: Drafted by the Tigers in 2010, he played in the big leagues from 2013-2019.

How he got here: The Tigers traded him to the Cubs last July. He signed a free-agent contract with Cincinnati over the winter.

How he’s done: He’s had a good but not great year offensively, posting a .784 OPS in 60 games.

Curt Casali, Reds

Played for the Tigers: He was drafted by the Tigers in 2011 and played in the minor league system through 2012.

How he got here: He was traded to the Rays in 2013 and had stints in the big leagues in Tampa from 2014-2017. He bounced around to several teams in 2018 before eventually landing with the Reds, where he’s been a valuable backup.

How he’s done: Although he has just 93 plate appearances, Casali has an .866 OPS and six home runs in 2020.

Trevor Rosenthal, Padres

Played for the Tigers: You may have already forgotten it, but Rosenthal pitched in 10 games for the Tigers last summer when he was a free-agent cast-off looking for a second chance.

How he got here: Rosenthal signed a minor-league deal with the Royals before the season, made the team, pitched well and was traded to the Padres at the deadline.

How he’s done: Rosenthal has pitched 10 scoreless innings with 17 strikeouts since joining the Padres.