Arlington, Texas — The Tigers, for the first time this month, have a five-man rotation.
Manager AJ Hinch announced before the game Monday that right-hander Matt Manning, who has been out since April 11, will start against the Rangers on Tuesday.
“We will pay close attention to him,” Hinch said. “He’s had three rehab starts. We know he’s conditioned to do enough. But it’s a little different challenge to come back to the big leagues and face this team.”
Hinch, pitching coach Chris Fetter and team president Scott Harris kicked around a couple of different scenarios. They didn’t list starting pitchers for Tuesday or Thursday coming into this series. The initial thought was they’d have a bullpen game on Tuesday and turn Manning loose on Thursday.
That would give both Manning and rookie right-hander Reese Olson a couple extra days of rest.
“But then you look at how the Twins series ended up,” Hinch said. “We had to use a lot of pitching and that certainly factored in. Do we use another bullpen game? Do we give Manning a couple of extra days? Do we give Reese a couple extra days?
“When all was said and done, we thought this was the best option and have a full bullpen.”
Olson will start on Thursday.
Manning, in just his second start of the season in Toronto, took a liner hit by Alejandro Kirk off his right foot. The ball caromed toward first base and Manning completed the play, running to cover the bag. But it was later revealed that he broke the fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot.
He made three rehab starts for Toledo, completing four innings and throwing 73 pitches in his last one.
Three other starting pitchers are getting close to returning, as well.
∎ Right-hander Alex Faedo (finger) will make his first rehab start at High-A West Michigan on Tuesday.
∎ Lefty Tarik Skubal (flexor tendon surgery), will make his fifth and potentially last rehab start for Toledo on Wednesday at Columbus.
∎ Lefty Eduardo Rodriguez (finger) will make his first and also potentially last rehab start for Toledo on Thursday at Columbus.
A roster move will be made either after the game Monday or early Tuesday to clear a spot for Manning. Rookie Brendan White, though he’s pitched well, seems to be the most likely candidate to be optioned out. That is not set in stone.
Nevin recalled, again
For the third time this season, the Tigers have called up right-handed utility player Tyler Nevin. He was summoned to replace Nick Maton, who was optioned to Toledo after the game Sunday.
“This is an important week,” Hinch said. “This is a team (Texas) that has all sorts of left-handed pitching, which is an advantage for Tyler. We’d like to see him contribute and produce and that will increase his opportunity.”
There isn’t anything left for Nevin to prove against Triple-A pitching, right-handed or left-handed. He’s hitting .304 with an .811 OPS. That performance, though, has yet to translate to the big leagues, albeit in a small sample. He’s hitting .128 in 44 plate appearances over his two previous stints with the Tigers.
“I have to force the opportunity,” Nevin said. “I have to play better. I have to have a moment. I have to show some reason to keep putting me in the lineup. That’s what it comes down to. That’s just on me. I feel like I’m just that moment away, getting that icebreaker and going from there.”
That’s a lot to take into the batter’s box, but Nevin has learned how to compartmentalize.
“Yeah, I’m not up there trying to hit a 500-foot homer every time,” he said. “It’s playing the game and seeing what the game is asking of me. Just taking solid at-bats one at a time.”
Over his career against big-league pitching, he’s hit nearly 100 points higher against lefties. His OPS is .757 vs. lefties and .461 vs. righties.
“We’re going to face two and maybe three lefties here and one at least in Colorado,” Hinch said. “That was definitely in his favor. We only have two left-handed hitters now so we have an imbalance there. But this week it makes a ton of sense to have as many right-handed hitters as possible.”
Hinch hasn’t promised Nevin everyday at-bats. In fact, he wasn’t in the lineup against left-handed starter Andrew Heaney Monday.
“He’s never really been given everyday at-bats to settle in,” Hinch said. “And he’s not going to be in there every day here either. But we know the good in him. He just needs to be ready when I call him.”
Around the horn
… Injured outfielders Riley Greene (fibula) and Akil Baddoo (quad), both with the team in Texas, continue to intensify their on-field workloads – hitting off coach pitching, running, throwing, light outfield drills. Hinch seemed to intimate both could be starting rehab assignments soon. “They’re going to be on the field every day here,” he said. “But they might not be on the road trip the entire time.”
… Hinch was asked about the promotion to Triple-A of the club’s top prospect infielder Colt Keith. “He crushed the ball at Double-A; there’s no more challenge for him there,” he said. “When you get to that next step, you’re on the radar more than ever. He’s got a lot to work on – on the defensive side, he’ll be facing a different style of pitching that will be new for him. We’re all rooting for Colt. He made a good impression this spring.”
chris.mccosky@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @cmccosky
Tigers at Rangers
When: 8:05 p.m., Tuesday, Globe Life Park, Arlington, Texas
TV/radio: BSD/97.1
Scouting report
RHP Matt Manning (1-1, 4.63), Tigers: This will be his first start since April 11 when a comebacker hit by Toronto’s Alejandro Kirk broke the fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot. He’s made three rehab starts at Triple-A Toledo, finishing up with a four-inning, 73-pitch outing last week.
LHP Martin Perez (7-3, 4.38), Rangers: For the first time this season, the Tigers are facing left-handed starters in back-to-back games. He’s coming off of two solid starts, allowing a combined four runs in 13 innings against the Blue Jays and White Sox. The Tigers beat on him pretty good at Comerica Park on May 30, scoring six runs in 4.2 innings. Jake Rogers and Riley Greene homered off him. Greene is the only lefty to homer off Martin this season. The 10 other dingers he’s allowed were hit by righties.