By Roy J. Akers-www.skyviewsports.net
Detroit has lived and died by the bullpen starter rotation decisions by managers AJ Hinch since the All-Star game. It has largely worked because injuries by Casey Mize, Reese Olson, and ineffectiveness by failed starter Kent Maeda, and the trade of former Tiger Jack Flaherty. The only legit starter Hinch has right now is Cy Young award candidate Tarik Skubal. Detroit has done well since August 11th, best in MLB. Thirteen of those wins have been by one run. Crunching the numbers. Since Aug. 11, Detroit has outscored opponents at+66: Detroit was -22 for the season through Opening Day until August 10th.
Game One
Cleveland’s five run first takes the air out of Detroit early
Cleveland Guardians centerfielder Lane Thomas came to the plate in the bottom of the first inning with two runners on base and a Guardians 2-0 lead and promptly greeted Tiger reliever Reese Olson with a three run homer. Thomas was Olson’s first hitter faced and Olson faced a hitter for the first time in 2024 with an inherited hitter on base. The Guardians were rolling with a 5-0 lead. Tyler Holton started for Detroit and gave up two hits, four runs and was shaky using 20 pitches to get no Cleveland pitchers out.
Bullpen games by teams using multiple pitchers
Tigers manager used 7 pitchers in Detroit’s wildcard clinching win over the Astros this week. It is not a recipe for exciting baseball parading pitchers in and out of the game. Using pitchers for barely an inning each is bush league baseball but is gaining traction all over MLB. Detroit uses five pitchers that give up six earned runs against the Guardians with eight strikeouts. Cleveland’s bullpen committee uses five pitchers with closer Emmanuel Clase finishing up throwing gas that finishing things up in the Guardians 7-0 win.
Detroit’s Fourth
Detroit put their first two batters on in the fourth with Riley Greene’s single and a walk to Colt Keith. Torkelson hits into a 5-4-3 double play moving Greene to third. A bounce out to first ends things. Bilbe throws 68 pitches through four. By the time Cleveland starter Cade Smith threw 100 mph gas at Detroit and mowed them down, Detroit struggled in the game and only put together four hits in Game one of the ALDS.
Tanner Bibee stymies Detroit
Tanner Bibee was a little shaky in Detroit’s first. After two Tigers baserunners start Detroit off, Bibee retires the visitors and his team stakes him to five first inning runs. In all, Bibee pitches 4 2/3 innings and leaves the game with a Tigers runner on first and and six K’s with no runs surrendered. Not sure why managers do not let pitchers at least try for a win when making a start. Eventually, a starter needs to learn how to pitch deep into ballgames like MLB pitchers did until around 2010. Cade Smith relieves Bibee and Bibee officially gives up no runs.
Reese Olson
Reese has been a starter for the entire Tigers season but was injured and missed over a month of the season and did not have time to rebuild his arm by the playoffs started. Manager AJ Hinch decided to use Olson as a ‘bulk starter’ meaning he pitches second after a relief pitcher pitches the opening inning or two. After the Holton implosion, Olson gave up a three run homer and was charged with the round tripper by the hitter. Olson retires 12 of 13 hitters and gives up three hits, no runs and four strikeouts. Olson looks good before giving way to Tigers reliever Ty Madden.
Final Post
The Tigers gave up five runs in the first inning and their lineup is not good enough to make up this type of deficit when the other team has enough quality arms where hitters never see a bullpen pitcher twice. The Tigers can even the series on Monday with Cy Young Award candidate Tarik Skubal takes the mound.
Roy J. Akers is a multi-media reporter and covers several sports for www.skyviewsports.net
