Lakeland, Fla. — If you don’t know who Zach Logue is, go back and find the box score or video highlights from the game at Comerica Park last May 11. Logue was the Oakland Athletics’ lefty who was shutting the Tigers out on five hits with six punch-outs over seven innings that day.
The Tigers claimed him off waivers in December, designated him for assignment a month later, then signed him back on a minor-league deal and brought him to big-league camp — presumably as a starting pitcher.
Logue, 26, was a starter at Kentucky. He was a starter coming up through the ranks in the Blue Jays system and he made 10 starts with the Athletics last year. So what in the world was manager AJ Hinch doing summoning Logue with the bases loaded and two outs in a 1-0 spring game Wednesday at Joker Marchant Stadium?
“Just trying to get through the game,” Hinch said, smiling.
Actually Logue was scheduled to pitch two innings Wednesday, so when Tyler Alexander faltered and was at 23 pitches in the eighth, it was time to let Logue get some work.
“Definitely a situation I haven’t been in since college,” he said, referencing his one save in his freshman year at Kentucky. “But you just try to take it one pitch at a time and try to treat it like you’ve been out there the whole time and just attack the hitter.”
The adrenaline rush that comes with late-leverage situations, Logue can attest, is real. Against right-handed hitting Jacob Young, an outfielder likely ticketed for Double-A ball this season, Logue dialed up his most firm four-seamer of the day, 93.7 mph, to punch him out.
The average velocity on his heater Wednesday was 91 mph.
“Adrenaline for sure,” he said.
Like prospect Reese Olson, Logue was thought to be in the same starter-bridge reliever group. He’s only worked 4.1 innings so far this spring and Hinch said Wednesday that decisions would be made soon on which guys will be stretched out to be rotation depth and which will stay in the fight for a bridge role.
“I’m not really sure,” Logue said. “I’m just kind of rolling along with whatever they want me to do… Whatever helps me and whatever helps the team. I’m going to take whatever they give me and try to do the best with it. “
Logue is aware of his odds, especially being a non-roster player. He’s competing among a group that includes Beau Brieske, Garrett Hill, Rony Garcia, Rule 5 draftee Mason Englert, Alex Faedo and others for what would be at most two open bridge-reliever roles.
And as for a potential second lefty spot to complement Alexander, he’s fighting with Tyler Holton and Chasen Shreve.
“I’m just trying to focus on myself, pitch well and whatever happens, happens,” he said. “We all have to fight for jobs. Nothing is ever truly given to you. You have to earn it. That’s kind how I deal with it, just go out there and do my best to earn what I can and see what happens.”
chris.mccosky@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @cmccosky
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