DETROIT -- When Wednesday’s debacle was mercifully over, Detroit Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire could take solace in two things: No one got hurt, and it counted as only one loss.
The Tigers suffered their worst shutout loss in team history, falling to the Milwaukee Brewers 19-0 on Wednesday afternoon at Comerica Park. It exceeded a 16-run shutout margin set exactly 98 years earlier.
“A lot of bad things happen when a game goes like that one, and it went awry pretty quick,” Gardenhire said. “But it’s only one game.”
Losing by 19 runs in the stretch run of a playoff chase is far from ideal, but the Tigers have a chance to make up for it immediately in Thursday’s doubleheader at St. Louis.
The Tigers (19-22) are currently two games behind the New York Yankees (22-21) in the race for the final American League wild card spot. The Orioles (20-22) and Mariners (19-24) also remain in the hunt.
FiveThirtyEight now projects that a 32-28 record will be enough to make the playoffs, which means the Tigers would have to go 13-6 in their final 19 games.
Yeah, about Boyd: Most of Wednesday’s game can quickly wiped from the memory bank. There’s nothing to learn from it; instead, it’s far better to simply forget it and move on.
But Matthew Boyd’s frustrating start was an exception.
After four somewhat shaky starts to open the season, Boyd had pitched well in his last four starts, posting a 3.38 ERA over 21 1/3 innings, striking out 29 and walking just three.
It looked like the old Boyd.
Wednesday was his worst start of the season and undoubtedly a step back. He gave up two homers over three-plus innings and allowed four doubles in the second inning. If that were it, you could shrug your shoulders and say, “Well, it was just one of those days.”
But he also issued four walks, more than he had in his previous four starts combined. That was a clear indication that something wasn’t quite right on Wednesday.
“I just couldn’t command the baseball today,” Boyd said.
There are only three or four starts left in the season for Boyd (not counting the playoffs, of course), and just three or four more chances to end this bumpy ride on a good note.
Bullpen swap-out: The Tigers, like fans and the media, are not immune to overreacting to small sample sizes in the bullpen.
They did it earlier this year with John Schreiber, who opened the season by pitching 8 1/3 scoreless innings over seven outings before plummeting back to earth (he’s since given up 11 earned runs on 16 hits in 7 1/3 innings).
They’re doing it right now with Bryan Garcia, who has a 1.65 ERA in 16 1/3 innings, but has struck out just seven batters, meaning the clock is ticking on his correction.
They’re also not immune to being mesmerized by the radar gun (again, not unlike fans and the media). Yes, Kyle Funkhouser has hit 97 mph working out of the bullpen, which is a good sign in his transition from starter to reliever, but he’s also walked 11 batters in 17 1/3 innings and is striking out fewer batters than he did as a starter in the minor leagues.
Schreiber and Funkhouser were sent back to Toledo after Wednesday’s game. They’ll have to spend 10 days on optional assignment, so they still have a chance to return for the final days of the season.
The return of Nick Ramirez gives the Tigers' four left-handers in the pen (along with Daniel Norris, Tyler Alexander and Gregory Soto). All but Soto can and probably will go multiple innings.
Ramirez’s presence would also make it easier for the Tigers to shift Norris or Alexander into a starting role, if they chose to go that route.
The Tigers have given no indication that they plan to scrap the Michael Fulmer plan -- which calls for him to pitch three innings every five days or so until the end of the season -- but if they do, they have plenty of options at their disposal.
Another option: One of those options is Jordan Zimmermann, who will start Game 2 of Thursday’s doubleheader in St. Louis.
It could be his last start in a Tigers' uniform.
The Tigers have not addressed Zimmermann’s role beyond today and, given the nature of the playoff race, they should feel no obligation to force him into the rotation.
That said, today’s start does no harm. They needed a starter. He was ready to come off the IL.
If things don’t go well -- and maybe even if they do -- Zimmermann can shift to the bullpen and spend the remainder of the year fighting Rony Garcia for low-leverage innings.
Zimmermann, 34, is a well-liked and respected teammate. Although he’s given every indication that he plans to play baseball in 2021, there’s no guarantee that he’ll find a job.
So this could be his last hurrah not just for the Tigers, but forever. That’s why the Tigers wanted to find him an opportunity to pitch this month if it was at all possible.
That opportunity arrives today.
The Link LonkSeptember 10, 2020 at 06:30PM
https://www.mlive.com/tigers/2020/09/a-19-0-debacle-that-tigers-must-quickly-forget-4-takeaways-as-big-doubleheader-looms.html
A 19-0 debacle that Tigers must quickly forget: 4 takeaways as big doubleheader looms - MLive.com
https://news.google.com/search?q=forget&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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