Detroit @ Minnesota preview
Target Field
Last Meeting ( Jun 29, 2010 ) Detroit 4, Minnesota 11
Just when everything was starting to fall into place for the Detroit Tigers, they were dealt a crushing blow to their bullpen.
As Detroit and Minnesota conclude a three-game series on Wednesday between the top two teams in the American League Central Division, the Tigers are left trying to figure out how to replace Joel Zumaya and bridge the gap to closer Jose Valverde.
Zumaya is out for the rest of the season after fracturing his elbow throwing a 99 mph fastball on Monday night. He shook off his glove and crumpled to the ground immediately after releasing the pitch, another blow to a career riddled with arm trouble.
Zumaya was 2-1 with a 2.58 ERA and one save for the Tigers. He had 34 strikeouts in 38 1-3 innings and flourished in his eighth-inning role of setup man. It will likely force Phil Coke into that role, at least until hard-throwing Ryan Perry proves he is healthy.
Perry was expected to hold the job of setup man, but struggled early in the season, suffered from shoulder tendinitis and now remains in Triple-A Toledo on a rehab assignment that isn’t going all that well.
That leaves Coke, who has pitched well this year, but if he inherits the setup role, Tigers manager Jim Leyland must look elsewhere in his bullpen for earlier innings.
At least the Tigers are anchored by Valverde, who is in the midst of a career year with 18 saves and a 0.53 ERA.
The Tigers will give the ball to rookie Andy Oliver, a hard-throwing left-hander who was drafted in the second round last season out of Oklahoma State. The Tigers are fascinated with Oliver’s ability to hit 97 mph.
Oliver was stuck with the loss in his major league debut last week, although he allowed just two runs in six innings of a 3-1 loss to the Atlanta Braves.
It will be a contrast of styles against Minnesota’s Kevin Slowey, who relies more on control and command than overpowering stuff. Slowey has been roughed up in three straight starts, going 0-2 with a 12.41 ERA. He has allowed five homers in his last 12 1-3 innings.
The Twins appear close to getting shortstop J.J. Hardy back in the lineup. Hardy, who went on the disables list June 7 with a sore left wrist, is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment tonight at Class A Beloit.