Dating to July 21, the Detroit Tigers‘ starting rotation is the best the American League.
A group of nine starters has combined for a 3.09 ERA — 51 earned runs in 148⅓ innings — in the past 29 games. The ERA mark leads the AL and ranks third in MLB, behind only the Los Angeles Dodgers (2.53 in 28 games) and New York Mets (2.72 in 27 games).
“It’s good for those guys,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “We don’t go by those sections. I didn’t know that.”
But Hinch knows his rotation has been excellent over the past month.
He doesn’t need data to tell him that.
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The Tigers have used nine starters in the 29-game stretch: Garrett Hill (six starts), Drew Hutchison (five starts), Matt Manning (four starts), Tyler Alexander (four starts), Tarik Skubal (three starts), Bryan Garcia (three starts), Daniel Norris (two starts), Michael Pineda (one start) and Rony García (one start).
Pitching coach Chris Fetter, per usual, deserves a lot of credit for his wizardry, as does assistant pitching coach Juan Nieves.
The Tigers, since July 21, are getting sub-4.00 ERAs from Hutchison, Alexander and Hill, along with Norris’ 0.93 ERA in two starts and Garcia’s 3.29 ERA in three starts. At the beginning of the season, Norris was a reliever for the Chicago Cubs; Garcia, the Tigers’ closer in 2020, had been designated for assignment.
“I think we’re on the right track pitching-wise,” Hinch said. “Fett and Juan do a tremendous job. The players that have come up and made their debuts, it’s good. They’re putting us in a position to feel good about our rotation depth moving forward the healthier we get. … The takeaway is more futuristic and more thinking about what it can be when this gets right. The day-to-day part of it, we try to focus on the end of the day result.”
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The problem, though, is the dominance from the unheralded members of the rotation hasn’t translated to wins for the team. The Tigers, 45-76 entering Saturday, have an 8-21 record since July 21, which began the post-All-Star break schedule.
Manning tossed seven innings of one-run ball in Friday’s 1-0 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.
Over those 29 games, the Tigers’ offense has averaged 3.31 runs and 9.97 strikeouts per game with an MLB-worst 66 wRC+ and .586 on-base-plus-slugging percentage. It’s easy to wonder what could’ve been if the Tigers had a competent offense, because despite a multitude of injuries to the starters, the pitching staff continues to set up.
“Wins and losses weigh on people more than any one specific stat line,” Hinch said. “I think the accumulation of the season, the accumulation of the wins and losses, and most definitely the losses, will weigh on you. The pressure is not between teammates. We’re not hitting poorly because we’re stressed out about the pitchers doing well. That’s not how it works at this level.”
Not looking good for Rony Garcia
Right-hander Rony García (right shoulder soreness) is unlikely to return this season.
He is stationed at the Tigers’ spring training facility in Lakeland, Florida, but has been instructed to rest in hopes of getting rid of the continued inflammation in his shoulder, which has barred him from beginning at throwing program.
The 24-year-old is running out of time.
“The more rest you take right now, the unlikeliness that it could turn into game action,” Hinch said. “I’m not anticipating seeing him again here. … There’s no surgery scheduled. Nothing other than time is going to solve his inflammation.”
García has a 4.41 ERA with 13 walks and 48 strikeouts over 51 innings in 16 games (eight starts) this season. He also pitched four innings in two relief appearances for Triple-A Toledo. He landed on the injured list July 25, one day after being activated from the injured list due to the same right shoulder soreness.
Still working with Tork
First baseman Spencer Torkelson, the 2020 No. 1 overall pick, is batting .212 with four doubles, four home runs, 12 RBIs, 17 walks and 33 strikeouts in 26 games for Triple-A Toledo. The Tigers sent him down July 17.
Hinch recently sent Torkelson a video about hitting.
“I’ve talked to the coaches more than I’ve talked to Tork,” Hinch said. “I think he’s taking his day-to-day that he’s done in the cage and trying to take it to the field. Right now, he’s just accumulating at-bats and trying to get back to being the offensive profile that we expect.”
Torkelson, who struggles with the timing of his swing (especially on fastballs), batted .197 with five home runs, 29 walks and 76 strikeouts over 83 games for the Tigers in 2022. He made his MLB debut as part of the Opening Day roster.
The 22-year-old has a .328 on-base percentage in Toledo but is slugging .374.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold. Read more on the Detroit Tigers and sign up for our Tigers newsletter.