Probables: Monday – RHP Tanner Houck (0-2, 6.10) vs. RHP Jackson Jobe (2-0, 4.88); Tuesday – RHP Brayan Bello (2-0, 2.01) vs. TBA; Wednesday – RHP Hunter Dobbins (2-1, 2.78) vs. LHP Tarik Skubal (4-2, 2.08).
Houck, Red Sox: It’s been a bumpy ride for him so far, alternating good starts with bad starts. He has especially struggled against left-handed hitters (.348 average, .596 slug with six homers). His splitter (.438) and sinker (three homers) have been ineffective antidotes to the lefties.
Jobe, Tigers: Whether it was the altitude in Colorado or just a bad day, Jobe didn’t have the same dynamic action on either his four-seam fastball or slider and the result was the worst outing of his young career (six runs in 3.2 innings). His slider seemed especially impacted by the altitude. The ones he started in the zone that were intended to finish outside the zone, stayed over the plate and got hit.
“It’s one of those things where we just felt like this was the right move. Be more conservative because it’s May.
“If it was September, we may not be having this conversation. I’m not overly concerned that it’ll be too long.”
“All that is positive. If there is something else involved, like a rehab start, it’s not going to be a long thing.”
Mize hopes he can throw a bullpen sometime next week.
“I was throwing the ball well, so this comes at a weird time,” he said. “I obviously don’t want to miss any start. But we’re not looking at months here.”
Vierling
It’s an important step.
“He’s going to play a couple of days in the field, then have a DH day and then we will introduce third base and outfield (in the same game),” Hinch said. “We’re slowly but effectively trying to mirror what he’s going to do when he comes back.”
Vierling already had 15 plate appearances entering play Sunday and had two homers.
The way Hinch outlined his schedule, it seems likely Vierling will stay on rehab at least until May 19. There’s no official return date, but the homestand beginning May 22
“It definitely impacts every single one of your pitches,” Jobe said Sunday. “But I wouldn’t go as far as to say that was the reason I was terrible. But it makes a difference. I don’t know the science behind it, but everything pretty much just moves less.
“It’s a tough place to pitch.”
His four-seamer seemed flatter. The sliders he intended to finish outside the zone ended up over the heart of the plate. He never got a feel for his knuckle-curve.
But then again…
“Casey (Mize) went six innings and Keider (Montero) threw super well,” Jobe said, referencing the Tigers’ starters in the Thursday doubleheader. “It’s not the end of the world. The altitude didn’t help me, but I was bad regardless of that.”
That’s a healthy outlook. Jobe didn’t simply flush the last start because of the environment. He took it as another harsh lesson leading into his next start Monday against the Red Sox at Comerica Park.
“I’m going to try and be aggressive,” Jobe said. “I trust my stuff. I feel like there’s been some things the past two games that didn’t go my way and resulted in a run or two. Just stay within myself and keep executing.”
I’m actually getting out of the house tonight and going to watch my Grandson’s baseball game.
He’s only a freshman but made the varsity team and bats leadoff. In their first game he went 3 for 4 with a triple, 3 SB’s and 3 runs. He is very fast, like 4.4 fast (hand timed).
Series: Three games at Comerica Park
