The Detroit Tigers optioned struggling infielder Nick Maton to Triple-A Toledo on Sunday after their 6-3 loss in 10 innings to the Minnesota Twins.
Maton, who started at third base Sunday, made a throwing error in the top of the eighth inning that allowed the Twins’ Royce Lewis to score the tying run. Then in the 10th inning, Maton had Lewis’ single bounce off his glove as Minnesota’s Carlos Correa scored the go-ahead run.
Maton, 26, went 1-for-4 with a strikeout Sunday and is hitting .163 with a .576 OPS in 72 games. He has made 58 starts — 35 at third base, 12 at second base, one at shortstop and 10 as the designated hitter.
Maton’s error on Sunday was his seventh this season while playing third base.
“Everyone can see today was a bad day for him, but that’s just part of it,” Tigers manager AJ Hinch said. “He needs to make some adjustments both offensively and defensively, and Toledo is a better environment for him than trying to do that here.”
The Tigers acquired Maton, along with outfielder Matt Vierling and catcher Donny Sands, from the Philadelphia Phillies in a multiplayer offseason trade that sent reliever Gregory Soto and infielder Kody Clemens to Philadelphia.
The Tigers did not immediately confirm who would be coming up to replace Maton, but utility player Tyler Nevin was scratched from Toledo’s starting lineup shortly after the move was announced.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.