A messy third-inning sequence gave the Tigers a blunt reminder about how fast a game can unravel when young players are forced to react on the fly.
Manager AJ Hinch called it the kind of play that can’t really be rehearsed.
“There are plays we try to get out in front of,” Hinch said. “But you can’t anticipate every play in baseball.”
The chaos started Friday, Sept. 4, in Game 2 with Hao-Yu Lee on third base, Kevin McGonigle on second and nobody out. Eduardo Valencia then chopped a ground ball to third baseman Jose Ramirez, and Lee took off for home. That was the first wrong turn.
Once Lee got trapped in a rundown between home and third, McGonigle broke for third, which was the right read. Austin Hedges chased Lee back to third, and suddenly both Tigers runners were at the bag.
McGonigle then tried to retreat to second, and the whole thing dissolved from there. Valencia wound up at second, and McGonigle was eventually tagged out.
“They both made youthful mistakes,” Hinch said. “Lee wasn’t supposed to go and he just sort of panicked.
Kevin wasn’t supposed to go and then when the rundown happened, he did the right thing trying to get to third. Then he made a judgment to leave the bag.”
Hinch said McGonigle was left baffled by the sequence.
“Kevin said he’s never been on a base at the same time with another runner in his life,” Hinch said. “That’s crazy to think about. He didn’t know what to do.”
The cleaner answer, Hinch said, would have been for Lee to read the ball correctly before breaking, and for McGonigle to stay put at third and let the defense sort it out. Instead, the Tigers turned one out into a strange, confusing lesson.
“It’s a unique play,” Hinch said. “It’s not practiced.
It started with Lee reading the play incorrectly, which created a chaotic play. We going to have one out regardless.
We were lucky we didn’t have two outs.
“It’s a learning lesson for those guys.”
Before the game, Hinch also confirmed that right-hander Jack Flaherty, who is dealing with a flexor strain, will make a rehab start for Triple-A Toledo on Sunday, Sept. 6. He is expected to throw one inning.
On the mound for the Tigers is Jackson Jobe, making his sixth start back after a 14-month recovery from Tommy John surgery. The right-hander is 1-2 with a 4.63 ERA and still looking for steadier results, even with plenty to like in the arsenal.
He’s bringing a 97-mph four-seamer and sinker, plus an improved curveball to go with his slider. What’s still lagging is the changeup and his command.
Right-handed hitters have done the most damage, going 12-for-34 with a .950 OPS in 38 plate appearances, and much of that production has come against his four-seamer.
The Guardians will counter with Gavin Williams, who is 13-7 with a 3.81 ERA and will be facing the Tigers for the first time this season. Detroit may get the aggressive version that has produced 17 starts of two runs or fewer, or the version that has been hit hard five times or more in six outings.
He was sharp in his last start, striking out 13 Blue Jays over seven innings. Williams throws a 97.6 mph four-seamer with 7-1 extension and 2,300 rpms of spin, and he leans on his sweeper, which opponents have hit for a .162 average while whiffing 43.7% of the time.
Right-handers have done more damage against him than lefties, putting up a .775 OPS with 14 home runs.
In Other News...
Casey Mize Trade Is Suddenly Looking Better For The Tigers
When the Tigers dealt Casey Mize to San Diego at the Aug. 3 deadline, it looked like the kind of move Detroit had to make if it wanted to reset and get something useful back in return. Mize was leaving with plenty of baggage attached, but the early returns have tilted in Detroits favor because his start with the Padres has been rocky, with a 1-3 record and a 6.67 ERA over six outings.
Detroits side of the trade has also become part of the conversation as Jackson Wolf and Kash Mayfield settle into their own situations in the organization. Their results have varied across different levels, but the bigger picture for the Tigers is straightforward: a deal that once raised questions is now starting to look a lot more sensible from their end. [Read more 🡒]
Eduardo Valencia Is Forcing A Big Tigers Decision Much Sooner Than Expected
Eduardo Valencia has made his first stretch in the big leagues hard to ignore. Since his debut in July, he has brought enough punch to the plate to look like much more than a short-term call-up, slashing .313 with a .956 OPS and six home runs in 83 at-bats while getting most of his work at catcher and designated hitter for Detroit.
The issue for the Tigers is what comes next, because Valencias bat is creating pressure on a roster question they may have hoped to answer later. His offensive production is pushing the club to weigh whether his best path is behind the plate or in a more regular DH role, and with other catching prospects in the system, the offseason could bring a broader look at how Detroit wants to shape that mix. [Read more 🡒]
Jack Flaherty Return Raises A Big Question For Tigers Rotation
Jack Flaherty is finally set to take a meaningful step back toward the Tigers' rotation, with a rehab assignment beginning Sept. 6 at Triple-A Toledo. The right-hander has been sidelined since July 21 with right flexor tendon inflammation, and manager A.J. Hinch said the assignment is expected to be brief, with Flaherty possibly logging only one inning as Detroit eases him back into game action.
The timing gives the Tigers something to monitor closely as they try to sort out the rest of their rotation down the stretch. Flaherty has not pitched since July 20, and even with his return now drawing nearer, the bigger issue is how quickly he can build back up and what kind of role awaits once he proves he is ready. [Read more 🡒]