COLUMBUS, Ohio — Good news has been rare for Detroit Tigers pitchers.
Seems like somebody gets hurt or has surgery every other day.
But here comes something positive for a change.
Tarik Skubal took another impressive step toward returning to the majors on Wednesday night.
Pitching four innings in a rehab start for the Toledo Mud Hens, Skubal threw 68 pitches, 44 of them strikes. He gave up two unearned runs after a Nick Maton throwing error. (For the record, Maton also had a fine, diving defensive play.)
MORE FROM SEIDEL: Behind the scenes of Colt Keith’s amazing debut for Triple-A Toledo
“It was a good outing,” said Skubal, who allowed three hits with two walks and four strikeouts. “Stressful first inning and then have to log three more. It’s good to kind of simulate that and experience that and actually felt the best in the fourth. That’s a good sign.”
Yes, everything about this was a good sign.
Especially how he was pumping 97 mph fastballs, according to the scoreboard, in the fourth inning.
“It was good even though I was, you know, kind of grinding out there,” Skubal said. “It’s good to see the velocity not dip down, even though you may be a little bit more fatigued. So, it’s a good sign for sure.”
Toledo manager Anthony Iapoce was impressed: “He looked great. He faced some adversity in the first and then he went through the next three and he’s just fine — right where we needed him to be.”
The game actually took a wild turn, long after Skubal was done.
The Mud Hens took a 9-5 lead into the ninth. Blew it. Took the lead. And then lost it in the 10th inning, 11-10.
But that’s minor league baseball.
There were plenty of positives to take from this game.
Such as so many youngsters who hit.
Colt Keith had a monster debut for Toledo, going 3-for-4 with a homer in his first at-bat. He also walked twice — once intentionally.
“He’s an exciting player,” Skubal said. “He’s hitting the crap out of the ball.”
Actually, several Mud Hens did.
It was a day when Parker Meadows, Justyn-Henry Malloy and Maton — the first three batters in the lineup — all had two hits.
“Parker continues to swing it,” Iapoce said. “He’s been using the whole field. He’s driving line drives, getting hits when we need it. So a lot of doubles and some homers to go along with that.”
Meadows continues to make a case for getting called up to Detroit.
And Skubal is inching closer.
“Is your next start in Detroit?” I asked.
“I can’t answer that,” Skubal said.
The Tigers like to hold these kinds of things like state secrets.
So, we’ll leave it at that.
“See you in Detroit,” I said.
Soon. I’m guessing soon.
Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @seideljeff.
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