The Detroit Tigers announced that they have acquired infielder/outfielder Matt Vierling, infielder/outfielder Nick Maton and catcher Donny Sands from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for infielder/outfielder Kody Clemens and lefthanded pitcher Gregory Soto.

Vierling, 26, spent most of the 2022 season with the Phillies, hitting .246/.297/.351 with 12 doubles, two triples, six home runs and 32 RBI. He performed especially well against lefthanded pitching, batting .295/.333/.426 with eight doubles, a triple, two home runs and 13 RBI vs. southpaws. Vierling saw time in 12 games during Philadelphia’s postseason run, going 2×13 with a double and a RBI. He also played in 21 games with Triple A Lehigh Valley, batting .271/.347/.459 with six doubles, two triples, two home runs and nine RBI.

Vierling, who was ranked as the Phillies No. 8 prospect by Baseball America entering 2022, saw his first Major League action in 2021, hitting .324/.364/.479 with three doubles, a triple, two home runs an six RBI in 34 games with Philadelphia. He also played in 79 games between Double A Reading and Lehigh Valley, combining to hit .276/.358/.444 with 12 doubles, two triples, 11 home runs and 47 RBI. Vierling was named a Phillies Organizational All-Star in 2021 and was a Florida State League All-Star in 2019.

A native of St. Louis, MO, Vierling was selected by the Phillies in the fifth round of the 2018 MLB Draft.

Maton, 25, played in 35 games with the Phillies in 2022, hitting .250/.341/.514 with two doubles, a triple, five home runs and 17 RBI. Maton also played in one game during the World Series against the Astros. He appeared in 57 games with Lehigh Valley, slashing .261/.368/.436 with 20 doubles, one triple, five home runs and 35 RBI.

Maton, who was ranked as the No. 10 prospect in the Phillies organization by Baseball America entering 2021, saw his first big league action that season, playing in 52 games and batting .256/.323/.385 with seven doubles, one triple, two home runs and 14 RBI. In 410 career games at the Minor League level, Maton has hit .251/.344/.382 with 84 doubles, 12 triples, 27 home runs and 181 RBI. Maton was named a Phillies Organizational All-Star by MiLB.com in 2018 and 2019, was a South Atlantic League All-Star in 2018 and a Florida State League All-Star in 2019.

A native of Chatham, IL, Maton was drafted by the Phillies in the seventh round of the 2017 MLB Draft.

Sands, 26, played in 57 games with Lehigh Valley in 2022, slashing .308/.413/.428 with nine doubles, five home runs and 34 RBI. He also made his Major League debut last season, appearing in three games with the Phillies and going 0x3 with a walk. Following the season, Sands was named a Phillies Organizational All-Star by MiLB.com.

Ranked as the No. 21 prospect in the Phillies organization by MLB Pipeline, Sands has hit .274/.343/.390 with 79 doubles, one triple, 32 home runs and 219 RBI in 428 career Minor League games. Sands was selected as a Yankees Organizational All-Star by MiLB.com and a South-Atlantic League All-Star in 2017, while he was named a FCL All-Star in 2015.

A native of Tucson, AZ, Sands was originally drafted by the New York Yankees in the eighth round of the 2015 MLB Draft. He was acquired by the Phillies in November, 2021.

Clemens, 26, split the 2022 season between Detroit and Triple A Toledo. In 57 games with the Tigers, he hit .145/.197/.308 with four doubles, five home runs and 17 RBI. Clemens played in 60 games with the Mud Hens, batting .274/.327/.535 with 12 doubles, six triples, 13 home runs and 43 RBI.

Soto, 27, appeared in 64 games with the Tigers last season, recording 30 saves and posting a 2-11 record with a 3.28 ERA (60.1IP/22ER) and 60 strikeouts. Soto was selected an American League All-Star in 2021 and 2022.

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The Detroit Tigers today announced that Josh Bullock has joined the organization as Vice President of Business Operations in Lakeland, Florida.

In his new role, Bullock will provide leadership and oversight to all business teams and operations including the planning, developing, and establishing strategies and objectives in alignment with organizational strategies and baseball operations.

Bullock joins the Tigers after serving as the Sports Partnership Director at iHeartMedia, where he oversaw advertising revenue generation and fulfillment for broadcast partnerships with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Rays, Tampa Bay Lightning, and University of South Florida.

Prior to his time at iHeartMedia, Bullock was the Team President for the XFL’s Tampa Bay Vipers in 2019-20, where he built and delivered the Vipers’ team identity on a compressed timeline as part of the XFL’s relaunch. Bullock was the Vipers’ first employee, responsible for establishing culture and vision while assembling a comprehensive business operating strategy.

Bullock also spent more than seven seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays from 2010-17, where he held several roles in the corporate partnerships department, including Director of Corporate Partnerships, Senior Director of Corporate Partnerships and Vice President of Corporate Partnerships.

Bullock earned a Bachelor of Arts in Education, Kinesiology and Health Promotion from the University of Kentucky.

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Jakub Vrana Assigned to Grand Rapids

The Detroit Red Wings today activated center Robby Fabbri from injured reserve and assigned left wing Jakub Vrana to the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins.

Fabbri, 26, is expected to make his season debut tonight against New Jersey, marking his first game action since sustaining a lower-body injury on March 10 vs. Minnesota. The 5-foot-11, 185-pound forward skated in 50 games during the 2021-22 season and ranked among the team leaders with 17 goals (4th), 13 assists (T10th), 30 points (8th), 35 penalty minutes (6th), six power play goals (T1st), eight power play points (T5th), 123 shots (10th), a 13.8 shooting percentage (7th) and 86 hits (T6th). Originally selected by St. Louis in the first round (21st overall) of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Fabbri has recorded 152 points (73-79-152) and 129 penalty minutes in 302 games with the Red Wings and Blues since 2015-16, in addition to 16 points (5-11-16) in 30 postseason contests. Fabbri helped the Blues claim their first-ever Stanley Cup championship in 2019, working his way back from a pair of injuries that sidelined him for over a year, including the entire 2017-18 season, totaling six points (2-4-6) in 32 regular-season games before netting one goal in 10 postseason appearances.

A native of Mississauga, Ontario, Fabbri played three seasons with the Ontario Hockey League’s Guelph Storm from 2012-15, where he was teammates at various points with fellow Red Wings forwards Tyler Bertuzzi and Pius Suter, prior to turning professional. In all, Fabbri racked up 171 points (80-91-171) in 147 games with the Storm, while adding 33 points (14-19-33) over 30 postseason contests. During the 2013-14 season, Fabbri compiled 87 points (45-42-87) in 58 regular-season games and earned the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award as playoff MVP after totaling 28 points (13-15-28) in 16 postseason games to help Guelph capture an OHL title. On the international stage, Fabbri won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship, and also won gold at the 2013 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament.

Vrana, 26, has appeared in three games with Grand Rapids since beginning a conditioning assignment on Dec. 28, recording two penalty minutes and nine shots. The 6-foot, 190-pound forward has also skated in two games with Detroit this season, tallying a goal and an assist on Oct. 15 at New Jersey. Vrana was limited to 26 games during the 2021-22 campaign but still ranked among the team leaders with 13 goals (T8th), five power play goals (T4th), six power play points (8th) and a 20.0 shooting percentage (2nd). He has recorded 32 points (22-10-32), 18 penalty minutes and a 21.6 shooting percentage in 39 games since being acquired by the Red Wings in a trade with the Washington Capitals on April 12, 2021. In total, Vrana has skated in 323 career games between Detroit and Washington, totaling 189 points (98-91-189), a plus-30 rating and 85 penalty minutes. In his first full NHL season in 2017-18, Vrana helped the Capitals win their first-ever Stanley Cup championship, posting 27 points (13-14-27) in 73 regular-season games along with eight points (3-5-8) in 23 postseason contests. Vrana was originally drafted by Washington in the first round (13th overall) of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft – two picks prior to Detroit’s selection of Dylan Larkin at 15th overall.

A native of Prague, Czech Republic, Vrana has registered 75 points (35-40-75), a plus-16 rating and 50 penalty minutes in 91 games with the Griffins and Hershey Bears, in addition to 20 points (10-10-20), a plus-eight rating and eight penalty minutes in 38 postseason appearances. Prior to arriving in North America, Vrana spent four seasons developing in Sweden, where he debuted professionally with Linkoping in the Swedish Hockey League in 2012-13 and logged 27 points (14-13-27) and 14 penalty minutes in 73 games until 2014-15. He also racked up 58 points (35-23-58), a plus-11 rating and 77 penalty minutes in 59 games in Sweden’s top junior league. Vrana has represented his country at the last three IIHF World Championships, where he was teammates with Filip Hronek (2019, 2021 and 2022), Dominik Kubalik (2019 and 2021) and Filip Zadina (2021), combining for 10 points (7-3-10) in 26 games between the three tournaments. Additionally, Vrana recorded six points (3-3-6) in 16 games at three-straight IIHF World Junior Championships (2013-15) and 20 points (14-6-20) in 18 games at three-consecutive IIHF World Under-18 Championships (2012-14).

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The Detroit Red Wings today assigned goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic to the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins for conditioning.

Nedeljkovic, 26, has appeared in nine games with the Red Wings this season, posting a 2-4-2 record with a  4.09 goals-against average and a 0.880 save percentage. The 6-foot, 208-pound goaltender was acquired by the Red Wings in a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes on July 22, 2021 and led all NHL rookie netminders in games played (59), shots against (1,796), saves (1,618), time on ice (3,230:48), shutouts (4) and assists (2) during the 2021-22 campaign. Nedeljkovic finished third in voting for the Calder Memorial Trophy and made the NHL All-Rookie Team in 2020-21 after showing a 15-5-3 record with a 1.90 goals-against average, a 0.932 save percentage and three shutouts in 23 appearances with the Hurricanes, in addition to logging a 4-5 record with a 2.17 goals-against average, a 0.930 save percentage and one shutout in nine postseason contests. Originally drafted by Carolina in the second round (37th overall) of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Nedeljkovic has compiled a 39-35-15 record with a 2.98 goals-against average, a 0.906 save percentage and seven shutouts in 97 appearances over parts of six NHL seasons with the Red Wings and Hurricanes since 2016-17. Nedeljkovic also earned a Calder Cup championship with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers in 2019 after leading the AHL in wins (34) for the second-consecutive year and goals-against average (2.26) en route to claiming the Baz Bastien Memorial Award as the league’s top goaltender and a spot on the AHL First All-Star Team. Additionally, Nedeljkovic became the 13th goaltender in AHL history to score a goal when he accomplished the feat with the Checkers on March 10, 2018, and the 12th netminder in ECHL history to score a goal when he did so with the Florida Everblades on Dec. 30, 2016.

A native of Parma, Ohio, Nedeljkovic has several ties to the state of Michigan, notably as a teammate of Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin on the 2011-12 Belle Tire U16 team. Prior to turning professional, Nedeljkovic posted an 89-77-20 record with a 2.88 goals-against average, a 0.918 save percentage and 10 shutouts in 191 Ontario Hockey League games between the Plymouth Whalers, Flint Firebirds and Niagara IceDogs from 2012-16. He was named the OHL’s Goaltender of the Year in 2013-14 and earned back-to-back selections on the OHL Third All-Star Team the following two seasons. Nedeljkovic has represented the United States several times on the international stage, winning a bronze medal at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship after tallying a 4-2 record with a 1.66 goals-against average and a 0.943 save percentage. He also helped his country earn a gold medal at the 2014 IIHF World Under-18 Championship after leading the tournament with a 1.84 goals-against average.

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The Detroit Tigers announced that they have acquired infielder Tyler Nevin from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for cash considerations.

Nevin, 25, saw time with both Baltimore and Triple A Norfolk in 2022. In 58 games with the Orioles, Nevin hit .197/.299/.261 with four doubles, two home runs and 16 RBI. He batted .291/.382/.479 with eight doubles, one triple, seven home runs and 36 RBI in 44 games with Norfolk. Nevin made his Major League debut with the Orioles in 2021, appearing in six games and going 4×14 with two doubles, a home run and three RBI.

Nevin has played in 521 Minor League games in his career, slashing .274/.352/.434 with 114 doubles, eight triples, 59 home runs and 281 RBI. Nevin was named a MiLB.com Organization All-Star in 2017 and was selected to the AFL All-Prospect Team in 2018.

A native of Poway, CA, Nevin was originally drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the Competitive Balance A round of the 2015 MLB Draft. His father, Phil, played for the Tigers from 1995-97 and is currently the manager of the Los Angeles Angels.

To make room for Nevin on the 40-man roster, lefthanded pitcher Zach Logue has been designated for assignment.

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• Griffins Travel to Rockford to Square Off Against IceHogs Tonight at 8 p.m.

The Detroit Red Wings today assigned left wing Jakub Vrana to the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins for conditioning.

Vrana, 26, has been practicing with the Red Wings since he was reinstated by the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program on Dec. 16. The 6-foot, 190-pound forward has appeared in two games with Detroit this season, tallying a goal and an assist on Oct. 15 at New Jersey. Vrana was limited to 26 games during the 2021-22 campaign but still ranked among the team leaders with 13 goals (T8th), five power play goals (T4th), six power play points (8th) and a 20.0 shooting percentage (2nd). He has recorded 32 points (22-10-32), 18 penalty minutes and a 21.6 shooting percentage in 39 games since being acquired by the Red Wings in a trade with the Washington Capitals on April 12, 2021. In total, Vrana has skated in 323 career games between Detroit and Washington, totaling 189 points (98-91-189), a plus-30 rating and 85 penalty minutes. In his first full NHL season in 2017-18, Vrana helped the Capitals win a Stanley Cup championship, posting 27 points (13-14-27) in 73 regular-season games along with eight points (3-5-8) in 23 postseason contests. Vrana was originally drafted by Washington in the first round (13th overall) of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft – two picks prior to Detroit’s selection of Dylan Larkin at 15th overall.

A native of Prague, Czech Republic, Vrana registered 75 points (35-40-75), a plus-21 rating and 48 penalty minutes in 88 games with the AHL’s Hershey Bears from 2014-17, in addition to 20 points (10-10-20), a plus-eight rating and eight penalty minutes in 38 postseason appearances. Vrana spent the previous four seasons developing in Sweden, where he debuted professionally with Linkoping in the Swedish Hockey League in 2012-13 and logged 27 points (14-13-27) and 14 penalty minutes in 73 games until 2014-15. He also racked up 58 points (35-23-58), a plus-11 rating and 77 penalty minutes in 59 games in Sweden’s top junior league. Vrana has represented his country at the last three IIHF World Championships, where he was teammates with fellow Red Wings Filip Hronek (2019, 2021 and 2022), Dominik Kubalik (2019 and 2021) and Filip Zadina (2021), combining for 10 points (7-3-10) in 26 games between the three tournaments. Additionally, Vrana recorded six points (3-3-6) in 16 games at three-straight IIHF World Junior Championships (2013-15) and 20 points (14-6-20) in 18 games at three-consecutive IIHF World Under-18 Championships (2012-14).

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• Fourth-Round Pick Leads OHL’s Flint Firebirds With 44 Points in 31 Games

The Detroit Red Wings today signed center Amadeus Lombardi to a three-year entry-level contract.

Lombardi, 19, is currently in his second season with the Ontario Hockey League’s Flint Firebirds, where he ranks among the team leaders with 21 goals (1st), 23 assists (1st), 44 points (1st), a plus-10 rating (4th), five power play goals (T1st), one shorthanded goal (T3rd), three game-winning goals (T1st) and 80 shots (T4th) in 31 games. The 5-foot-10, 165-pound center made his major junior debut with the Firebirds in 2021-22, recording 59 points (18-41-59), 24 penalty minutes and a plus-nine rating in 74 appearances. He also tallied 15 points (7-8-15) and six penalty minutes in 19 postseason contests to help the Firebirds reach the Western Conference Final for the first time since the franchise relocated from Plymouth. Lombardi did not see game action in 2020-21 due to the cancelation of the OHL season.

Originally selected by the Red Wings in the fourth round (113th overall) of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, Lombardi developed with the Toronto Titans AAA program in the Greater Toronto Hockey League before starting his major junior career. The Aurora, Ontario, native registered 37 points (13-24-37) in 33 games for the Titans at the under-18 level during the 2019-20 season, in addition to one assist in six appearances with the Toronto Jr. Canadiens of the Ontario Junior Hockey League. He also logged 27 points (13-14-27) in 33 GTHL contests with the Titans’ under-16 squad in 2018-19.

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For 45 years, the Ilitch organization has invited colleagues and their families to celebrate together a year of great work and the joy of the season. The tradition continued this year, as close to 4,000 colleagues from the 13 Ilitch companies and their families gathered at Little Caesars Arena at the celebration hosted by CEO Christopher Ilitch and company founder Mrs. Marian Ilitch.

“The holiday event is an opportunity to celebrate our incredible colleagues,” said Christopher Ilitch, President and CEO of Ilitch Holdings, Inc.  “We are thankful for their dedication and enjoy being able to offer them and their families a memorable evening of fun and festivity.”

The family-friendly event featured traditional holiday activities, including pictures with Santa, cookie decorating, caricature drawings, a rock-climbing wall, arcade games, as well as ice skating on the same ice where the Detroit Red Wings play.

Darrell Syngg has worked for Little Caesars for 34 years, and says Ilitch holiday gathering has become a tradition for his family. “It’s a special time to spend with my family, where we have created many fond memories together. The caricature drawings and pictures with Santa have allowed us to capture how our family has changed over the years, and I am so grateful for the experiences we’ve shared.”

Mary Jackson-Mitchell has attended every holiday gathering since 2015 and this year, was able to bring her 5-year-old granddaughter Milyn for the first time. “Being able to bring my family and see the magic through my granddaughter’s eyes as she took pictures with Santa, explored the arena, ate holiday treats met so many of my colleagues was really special. Lifetime memories were made.”

New colleague Bryan Fenster brought his wife and two young children to the event and had a blast. “Having only joined the Ilitch Holdings team two months ago, it was really special to get a fun night out with my family and introduce them to my new colleagues,” said Fenster, Production Manager for Ilitch Holdings. “The hospitality was plentiful, and we were really blown away by the detail and choices for the kids! More than a week later, my kids were still talking about it.”

Ilitch company colleagues work together all year long to bring joy to others, and we wish them a happy holiday season!

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‘Tis the season on Columbia Street, which has been transformed into a Winter Wonderland, presented by Michigan First Credit Union. Columbia Street is located in The District Detroit next to the iconic Fox Theatre, and features lights, garlands, fun photo ops and more. At night, festive scenes will be projected larger-than-life on the south side of the Fox Theatre, creating an immersive atmosphere on the walkable street.

As you stroll through Winter Wonderland, grab that last-minute gift for the University of Michigan fan in your life at The M Den Detroit, and make sure to check out Union Assembly, JoJo’s ShakeBAR and Frita Batidos Detroit for delicious drinks and bites!  

Fresh off Fall Fest, JoJo’s ShakeBAR has rolled out an incredible Winter Wonderland-inspired menu. Stop in to try the Winter Wonderland Shake — a peppermint shake, topped with Christmas tree sugar cookie, snowman donut hole, present-shaped marshmallow and a mini candy cane – or, the Peppermint Party Hot Chocolate — peppermint hot chocolate, snowflake marshmallow, chocolate s’more, peppermint pretzel, and toasted marshmallow. You can make a reservation here!  

Frita Batidos is offering two delicious winter menu items. The Piacadillo Bowl, a Cuban-inspired sloppy joe with ground beef sautéed with fresh garlic, onions and bell peppers – finished with capers, golden raisins and a pinch of brown sugar – sweet, savory and a little bit spicy! And to drink, the Mocha Cubano, Frita cold brew warmed and finished with a spoonful of Chocolate Espanol and a dollop of house-made horchata fluff – served with or without a splash of Spaulding coffee liqueur.

Warm up at Union Assembly with the scratch-made Union Pot Pie, with cast iron baked chicken and veggies, scratch-made gravy, puff pastry crust and sour cream mashed potatoes. 

Stay up to date on activities in The District Detroit by subscribing to updates from the Ilitch Companies News Hub.  

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