Detroit Tigers' Alex Faedo sent to Toledo to help 'fortify the bullpen' for long stretch
Alex Faedo produced six scoreless innings on Sunday to give the Detroit Tigers their sole win of their series against San Diego.
On Monday, he was sent back in Triple-A Toledo.
However, his return to the minors has little to do with his stellar start, it has more to do with the team's upcoming grueling schedule and its need to replenish the bullpen.
"We don't have an off day until next Monday after Miami, so we made the decision to try to fortify the bullpen and bring up fresh arms," A.J. Hinch said. "It's done all the time. It's rarely done after six scoreless, but as I told him, he did nothing but continue to convince us that he deserves more opportunity when it opens up."
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The need to "fortify the bullpen" increased when the team announced Monday that Mason Englert would be added to the 15-day IL with left hip tightness (retroactive to July 23). Englert last pitched Saturday against the Padres, relieving Matt Manning, who pitched just two innings before a lengthy rain delay and gave up nine runs on 10 hits in 2⅓ innings of work.
"We continue to look at things like how his body's body and how it's responding, strength, mobility, things that can predict the best version of the player, as it started to diminish, we finally had to address it," Hinch said. "Hopefully we have a plan in place that will work for him."
Englert, the Tigers' Rule 5 draft pick from the Rangers last offseason, has a 5.46 ERA and a 1.500 WHIP over 56 innings in 31 appearances this season.
Corresponding moves brought left-hander Zach Logue and righty Brendan White to Detroit this morning. White was optioned to Toledo following Saturday's game to make room on the roster for Faedo, while Logue last pitched for the Tigers on July 5.
This season, Logue, whom the Tigers claimed off waivers from Oakland last December, has allowed six earned runs in seven innings over two appearances in the majors. White, in his first MLB season, had a 4.95 ERA and 1.300 WHIP in 20 innings over 16 appearances.
Turnbull to make rehab start in West Michigan
While there is still no official timetable for his return, righty Spencer Turnbull's rehab appears to be on schedule, as he threw a bullpen session Friday with no reported issues.
He is scheduled to start for Single-A West Michigan on Tuesday and Sunday, as the Toledo Mud Hens are playing in Minnesota this week. It'll be a bit of a homecoming for Turnbull who came up through the Tigers farm system and was inducted into the Whitecaps Hall of Fame in 2021.
Turnbull, who missed the entire 2022 season after having Tommy John surgery, was placed on the 60-day injured list retroactive to May 7 with neck discomfort. Before then, he had a 1-4 record and 7.26 ERA in seven starts and 31 innings. Turnbull is the last Tiger to throw a solo no-hitter in 2021 (Matt Manning, Jason Foley and Alex Lange combined for a no-hitter this past July).
Turnbull was demoted to the minor leagues just before being placed on the injured list.
Skubal looks to bounce back from rocky start against Royals
Tarik Skubal made his first start of the season July 4, in which he went four innings, gave up no hits and recorded six strikeouts. He had a similarly successful second outing July 9 against Toronto, giving up just two six and recording five strikeouts.
It was his third start, July 18 in Kansas City, that didn't go as planned. He still went four innings but gave up seven runs on eight hits in the Tigers' 11-10 loss.
He was given a chance to right the ship on Monday afternoon against the Giants, in town to make up a game that was rained out in April. The Giants entered Monday on a five-game losing streak in which they've struggled at the plate.
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"He phrased it best, he got his butt kicked and he just got beat with a lot of pitches," Hinch said. "He didn't get a lot of chase, he didn't get his fastball where he wanted and most of Tarik's keys rest around his fastball."
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers' Alex Faedo to minors to help 'fortify the bullpen'
