Detroit — Tigers manager AJ Hinch put the return of left-handed hitter Kerry Carpenter in proper perspective before the game Friday.
“Carp is a big part of what we’re trying to do, especially bringing balance to the lineup and some power,” Hinch said. “We need as much offensive boost as we can get based on the last couple of series. But it doesn’t need to all go on his shoulders.
“We need more than just Carp to get going.”
True on both levels.
The Tigers came into the series against Arizona on a six-game losing streak in which, facing six straight right-handed starters, they scored just four earned runs. They went 1-for-52 combined over the first three innings of those six games.
On the season, the Tigers are last in baseball against right-handed pitching in OPS (.624) and slugging (.329). They also rank 27th in on-base percentage (.295) and 29th in batting average (.216) against right-handed pitching.
Adding the left-handed Carpenter, who had four home runs and a 104 OPS-plus in 20 games before he injured his shoulder, certainly will help.
“I’m pretty pumped,” said Carpenter, who finished his rehab assignment at Toledo on Wednesday and was the designated hitter for the Tigers Friday. “This is where I want to be. I was working hard the whole rehab process to be back here.”
The Tigers will face three more right-handed starters in this series against the Diamondbacks, including Merrill Kelly Friday and Zac Gallen Sunday — both having All Star-worthy seasons. By the end of the series, they will have faced a right-handed starter in 19 of the last 20 games.
“These are not layup drills,” said Hinch, referencing not just the quantity but the quality of right-handed pitching they’ve faced. “We need to put up good at-bats against good pitching. It’s a tough league, especially if they find weaknesses and they exploit it.”
As Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler demonstrated Thursday, taking a no-hitter into the eighth inning, the weakness teams are exploiting the most against the Tigers is their inability to handle high-velocity fastballs.
The Tigers are seeing 49% fastballs and their run value against it (according to FanGraphs) is an MLB-worst minus-38.
“If you get outside the strike zone or you lose leverage — there are a lot of reasons why righties or lefties can give you trouble,” Hinch said. “Adding a bat (like Carpenter) is going to be important, but collectively we could use some better days. Hopefully that’s going to come on this homestand.”
Carpenter, for the record, was punishing fastballs before he got hurt — .342 batting average, .789 slugging and all four homers.
“I trust anybody in our lineup,” Carpenter said. “But it’s been a bad stretch of injuries and certain things. I’m glad I can come back and hopefully help the team pick it up again.”
To make room for Carpenter, the Tigers optioned Tyler Nevin back to Toledo.
Greene sighting
Of course, there is another left-handed bat that’s been missing throughout this losing streak.
Riley Greene, wearing an air cast to protect his injured left fibula, was back in the clubhouse Friday.
“We need you,” Miguel Cabrera yelled across the clubhouse to Greene.
“I’m doing good,” Greene said, smiling. “Just taking it day by day. It’s getting better each day. I’m excited about that.”
Greene played catch with Casey Mize before the game, but that’s about the extent of his baseball activities right now. He is expected to go with the club to Minnesota next week.
“It sucked at the moment (the injury),” he said. “But it could’ve been a lot worse, it could’ve been longer. I’m trying to take the positives out of it.”
It was a positive that tests determined it was a stress reaction and not a stress fracture in the fibula. Still, there is no timetable for when Greene will be cleared to start doing lower body work.
Makes no sense
Lefty Matthew Boyd has never had any issues pitching at Comerica Park. Over the years he’s posted a 4.31 ERA, a 1.2 WHIP and an opponent average of .242.
Which makes his home splits this season a head-shaker. He will get the ball against the Diamondbacks Saturday and in his previous five home starts, he’s 0-4 with an 8.34 ERA, a 1.9 WHIP and with opponents hitting .301 against him.
Compare that to his six road starts — 3-0, 3.52 ERA, 0.9 WHIP, .193 opponent average — and it seems like an anomaly.
“You have to look at each outing,” Boyd said.
There have been three home starts that skew his splits. He was charged for six runs against the Orioles on April 29, four came in the second inning and he settled down after that. He was charged for five runs against the Rangers on May 29 and three came on one swing, a two-out, three-run homer by Corey Seager. Two came after he left the game.
The one clunker was his 1⅓-inning, six-run outing against the Mariners on May 12.
“I think you can look at that and assume that over time, over 32 starts, that will even out,” Boyd said. “I love pitching at Comerica Park. I feel like I had one bad start and two where I didn’t get results that matched the performance.”
Around the horn
Both pitcher Matt Manning (foot) and outfielder Matt Vierling (back) are starting rehab assignments. Vierling was expected to play at Toledo on Friday. Manning will make his first rehab start at Toledo on Sunday.
… The Tigers claimed 28-year-old utility player Nick Solak off waivers from Atlanta. Solak, a right-handed hitter, played parts of four seasons with the Rangers. He appeared in one game with the Braves this season. The former second-round pick has slashed .252/.327/.372 with a .700 OPS against big-league pitching.
… To make room on the 40-man roster, the Tigers moved pitcher Spencer Turnbull (neck) to the 60-day injured list. Turnbull, though, has begun doing shoulder exercises and upper body training.
“It’s doing good,” he said. “Hopefully I can start doing Plyo ball work next week and then start playing catch after that. Realistically, I’m not going to be back in three weeks (thus the move to the 60-day IL), but hopefully I’ll be ready soon after that.”
… Jake Rogers is willing to pull out all stops to end a losing streak. He showed up Friday with a clean-shaven face for the first time in recent memory.
“I’ve been waiting on that for two years,” Hinch joked. “I think I was the first person he showed because he knows how proud I am that he actually did it. I haven’t seen his upper lip in four years.”
chris.mccosky@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @cmccosky
Diamondbacks at Tigers
▶ First pitch: Saturday 1:10 p.m., Comerica Park, Detroit
▶ TV/radio: BSD/97.1
SCOUTING REPORT
▶ Ryne Nelson (2-3, 5.40), Diamondbacks: He’s had some good moments, but he’s mostly been hittable, as evidenced by the .294 opponent batting average and .836 OPS. Lefties have especially feasted — .333/.427/.581 with an OPS over 1.000. His slider and cutter can be effective, but he has to establish his fastball, which has been an issue (opponents are hitting .344 and slugging .534 of his 94-95 mph four-seamer).
▶ LHP Matthew Boyd (3-4, 5.57), Tigers: Boyd’s home splits are confusing. It makes no sense for him to be lights out on the road (3-0, 3.52 ERA, 0.9 WHIP) and so not at home (0-4, 8.34, 1.9). In truth, he had one clunker start at home (vs. Seattle) and two that got away from him late (Baltimore and Texas). The good news is he’s coming off his best start of the year, limiting the White Sox to a run and three hits with nine strikeouts over five innings — at Chicago.