Detroit — Tyler Alexander had completed his crossword puzzle and was busy ripping it into a big pile of little pieces Tuesday afternoon.
“Didn’t go well?” he was asked.
“No, I finished it,” he said.
“Are you mad at the paper?”
It seemed like a normal, fun-loving early clubhouse day with Alexander. He proceeded to explain why he now shreds his puzzles after he completes them. It goes back to when catcher Grayson Greiner was around. Greiner was a master of the word puzzles. He would complete them and then sign them noting the amount of time it took him to finish.
“That used to make me so mad; ever since then, I’ve ripped mine up afterward,” he said, laughing.
There was absolutely no indication that Alexander had already been told that his season was over. He felt extreme pain in his left shoulder/lat area on his 28th and final pitch of his outing Sunday in Denver. Of course, he never showed it as he walked off the mound.
And he didn’t talk about it before the game Tuesday until the club released the news on its twice-weekly medical update.
“I didn’t know what to say about it,” he said later. “It sucks. I’m going to get an MRI in a few days.”
The MRI should determine the full extent of the injury and whether surgery will be required. But the Tigers put him immediately on the 60-day injured list, without any MRI results. That’s an indication initial tests were not encouraging, and that he is not expected to be back this season.
“He told us about it after his last outing, his last pitch,” manager AJ Hinch said. “He said he felt something in his shoulder or lat. We were all kind of down for him. He’s going to miss significant time. It’s really unfortunate. He was throwing the best he’s thrown all year.
“It’s very frustrating for him and a tough loss for us.”
Alexander, who played an integral role in the club’s 6-0 record in bullpen games last month, was the Tigers’ pitcher of the month for June. He pitched 18.2 innings in eight games, allowing just two earned runs with 18 strikeouts and three walks.
With Alexander going on the 60-man IL, there’s space on both the active roster and 40-man roster for lefty starter Tarik Skubal, who made his season debut Tuesday night. Replacing Alexander’s versatility in the bullpen, though, will be a challenge.
“It’ll be absorbed by somebody who grabs the opportunity and pitches well and can throw strikes and bounce back and do all the things that Tyler had been doing for us,” Hinch said. “I imagine a number of guys will try to step up and fill the role.”
Lefty Zach Logue could get the first crack at it. He pitched 3.1 scoreless innings in the Tigers’ bullpen win in Denver on Saturday.
The Tigers are going to have to make another roster move on Wednesday to facilitate lefty starter Eduardo Rodriguez’s return to the rotation.
Around the horn
… Outfielders Riley Greene (fibula) and Akil Baddoo (quad) aren’t expected to be activated for the Athletics series. Greene, who had an off day from his rehab assignment Tuesday, is expected to be back in the Toledo lineup Wednesday in Columbus, most likely as a designated hitter. Baddoo was expected to be in the Mud Hens’ lineup Tuesday and Wednesday. It is possible Baddoo is activated this weekend.
… Right-hander reliever Beau Brieske (ulnar nerve entrapment) is nearing his rehab assignment. The Tigers will decide this weekend whether to activate him or option him to Toledo.
… Right-handed starter Spencer Turnbull (neck injury) will throw a second bullpen Wednesday.
… Right-hander Alex Faedo (finger) is between rehab starts and is expected to throw a bullpen Wednesday.
Athletics at Tigers
First pitch: 6:40 Wednesday, Comerica Park
TV/radio: Bally Sports Detroit, 97.1
Scouting report:
LHP Ken Waldichuk (1-5, 6.78), Athletics: The rookie has opened games, closed games and worked out of the bullpen — and this will be his 12th start of the season. His ERA is second-highest in the big leagues (60 innings minimum). Opponents are slashing .316/.410/.555 with an OPS of .965 — those are the highest opponent marks in baseball, across the board.
LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (4-4, 2.13), Tigers: This will be his first start since May 28, and in case you forgot how stingy he’d been in his first 11 starts, here’s a refresher: He held hitters to a .205 average and.563 OPS with a meek 32% hard-hit rate. Opponents hit .218 off his four-seam, .164 off his cutter, .143 off his sinker and .118 off his slider. Ace-like.
Twitter: @cmccosky