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Tigers acquire Matt Vierling, Nick Maton, Donny Sands from Phillies for Kody Clemens, Gregory Soto

FILE Matt Vierling Phillies Baseball
FILE Nick Maton Phillies Baseball
FILE Donny Sands Phillies Baseball
Posted at 3:04 PM, Jan 07, 2023
and last updated 2023-01-07 16:21:01-05

(WXYZ) — The Detroit Tigers have traded infielder/outfielder Kody Clemens and pitcher Gregory Soto to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for infielder/outfielder Matt Vierling, infielder/outfielder Nick Maton and catcher Donny Sands.

Detroit announced the move Saturday.

Vierling hit .246 with six home runs and 32 RBI in 117 regular season games for the Phillies last season. He also appeared in 12 postseason games, registering two hits in 13 at-bats.

Maton appeared in 34 games for the Phillies during the 2022 regular season, hitting .250 with five home runs and 17 RBI. He appeared in one World Series game, going hitless in his lone plate appearance.

Sands primarily spent 2022 with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, hitting .308 with five home runs and 34 RBI in 57 games.

"All three players have performed at a high level in the upper minor leagues," Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris told reporters Saturday. "Two of them have performed in the big leagues. And all three of them are at positions of need for us."

Clemens split the 2022 season between Detroit and Triple-A Toledo. He hit .145 with five home runs and 17 RBI in 57 games with the Tigers, and hit .274 with 13 home runs and 43 RBI in 60 games with the Mud Hens.

Soto, an American League All-Star in 2021 and 2022, went 2-11 with a 3.28 ERA, 60 strikeouts, and 30 saves in 64 appearances for the Tigers last season.