But he has the repertoire to start, and if he looms as a better answer, he could be moved from Detroit’s bullpen to Toledo’s rotation in a jiffy ahead of a possible, rapid, return to Detroit. Slowed by injuries and inconsistency in recent years, the three-time All-Star who once pitched a ideal game is saddled with a 7.00 ERA this season.
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Jesse Hahn may be looking like a much more viable option, even with a minor blister problem, after Chris Bassitt gave up 13 runs in two starts on a road trip that began with such promise.
First, Nick Castellanos took him off the hook. They have only seven wins on the season. However it has been Martinez who has done a nice job in the 2 Hole going 4/11 in the last 3 games, with 5 RBI and more importantly a.467 OBP with 4 runs scored in those 3 games. The 33-year-old allowed one run in two of his first three starts but only got enough run support to pull out one win. They’ve done it just once since. Meyer, who had yet to appear in a game since his April 25 recall from Triple-A Rochester, allowed two runs on five hits in one inning of relief Friday.
Oakland actually got off to a lead in this one on a Josh Reddick RBI single after a couple of walks and two Billy Burns steals in the third inning.
And some breakthrough offense would have been a nice counterbalance for Oakland with it being another day of big-inning bingo for A’s starters Thursday. Martinez hit a three-run home run in the second inning. Justin Wilson worked a scoreless eighth and Francisco Rodriguez converted his seventh save in eight opportunities for the Tigers, who extended their longest winning streak of the season after losing five of the previous six. In 12 of theirfirst 17 games, A’s starters allowed two or fewer runs.
With the dominance displayed by Jordan Zimmermann through the month of April, it’s beginning to feel less like an aberration, a small sample size, or as he would have you think, a stroke of luck. “These guys gave me three runs early and I was able to settle in and throw strikes and just be myself and not have to worry about a tight ballgame”.
Norichika Aoki went 1-for-3 with a run scored for Seattle. He was brought out for the 6th and even got the first 2 outs.
Park’s home run was the only time a Twin touched second base against him. As J.D. Martinez fielded the ball, Sano dug for third, and the crowd groaned as it watched the throw beat him.
Upton is 4 for 9 in this series after batting.198 in his first 21 games with Detroit.
For the third time this season, the Twins registered at least two errors in a game.
“We have yet to be disappointed this season when he takes the mound”, Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. Given his track record, though, he is bound to start hitting sooner or later.
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Rookie Michael Fulmer was impressive in his Major League Baseball debut and may make his next start on Thursday, so the 23-year-old has provided the Tigers an option with Shane Greene (finger) on the disabled list, but that would be an awfully small sample size on which to stake a switch once Greene returns Matt Boyd and Daniel Norris are up-and-comers in Toledo – needed pitching depth that the Tigers have wisely accrued – but both players could benefit from additional seasoning in the minors.
