Arlington, Texas — The Tigers’ mobile rehab unit was packing up and heading out after the game Thursday.
Outfielders Riley Greene (fibula) and Akil Baddoo (quad) were heading to Toledo to meet up with the Mud Hens and eventually start their respective rehab assignments.
“They are going there to continue their build-up toward playing,” manager AJ Hinch said. “I think Akil is a little ahead of Riley when it comes to getting back into games. There are no off days for Triple-A between now and the All-Star break.
“So, any given day that they’re ready to play, we will put them in.”
The Mud Hens are in Columbus through Monday. Hinch said Baddoo could play as early as Saturday. Greene might be a couple of days after that.
Pitchers Will Vest (lower leg), Spencer Turnbull (neck) and Casey Mize (Tommy John surgery) were flying back to Detroit to continue their treatment and on-field work. Vest left Thursday morning to meet with the Tigers’ medical staff.
The high altitude in Denver is not conducive to the rehabilitation process, which was the reason for the exodus.
DECISIONS AND NON-DECISIONS
It was the seventh inning Thursday. Andy Ibanez, the former Ranger, poked a two-strike, RBI single to break a 3-3 tie. And after Javier Baez followed with his second single of the game, the Tigers had the bases loaded with no outs and great chance to extend the lead.
Rangers’ manager Bruce Bochy, with left-handed hitting Kerry Carpenter coming up, brought in lefty reliever John King. Hinch had right-handed hitters Eric Haase and Tyler Nevin available on the bench but he struck with Carpenter.
Carpenter struck out and Jonathan Schoop hit into a fast, inning-ending double-play.
“Right now our guys aren’t really swinging the bat great,” said Hinch, referring to both Haase and Nevin. “I wanted to get the ball in the air there and I thought Kerry had the best chance to do it. And we do want to sprinkle in at-bats for him against left-handed pitching. He started the game against a lefty.
“I was toying with it back and forth and ended up not doing it. And it ended up being a a miserable three outs and quickly. Not everything is going to work out. Not every decision or non-decision that you make is going to work out.”
It seemed like that might be a potentially game-shifting moment. It was not.
With yet another 0-2 RBI, the Tigers extended the lead to 5-3 off King in the eighth. After Jake Rogers doubled, Hinch let left-handed hitting Zach McKinstry bat against King and he slashed an 0-2 single to right.
“That late in the game I’m not budging with our defense,” he said. “McKinstry is one of our best fielding outfielders and infielders. And he ended up making a great running catch in left (in the ninth inning).”
On deck: Rockies
Series: Three games at Coors Field
First pitch: Friday – 8:10 p.m.; Saturday – 9:10 p.m.; Sunday – 3:10 p.m.
TV/radio: Friday-Sunday – Bally Sports Detroit, 97.1
Probables: Friday – RHP Michael Lorenzen (2-5, 3.97) vs. LHP Austin Gomber (5-7, 7.01); Saturday – TBA vs. TBA; Sunday – RHP Matt Manning (1-1, 4.15) vs. RHP Connor Seabold (1-4, 5.98).
Lorenzen, Tigers: He’s been solid in his last two starts, limiting the Royals and Twins to three runs combined in 11 innings, with 11 strikeouts. They’ve been probably more labor-intensive than he’d like. He threw 93 pitches in six innings against the Royals and 86 to get through five against the Twins.
Gomber, Rockies: He leads the National League in earned runs allowed (60) and home runs allowed (19), so the struggle is real. Opponents are hitting .304 and slugging .569 against him, with a .932 OPS. He is coming off one of his better starts, though, holding the Angels to two runs over five innings.
Twitter: @cmccosky