Tigers option Andrew Sears to clear spot for Justin Verlander's finale
· Yahoo Sports
DETROIT — It might take a minute for rookie Andrew Sears to wash the bad taste out of his mouth after his final outing of the season, but he can go into the offseason knowing he made a favorable first impression.
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“I am really impressed by Andrew Sears and what he has to offer,” manager AJ Hinch said after announcing that Sears had been optioned to make room for Justin Verlander. “He has a lot to work on this winter after his first taste of the big leagues.”
Sears pitched a clean seventh inning Friday night, (Sept. 25), and then had two outs and nobody on in the eighth. He never got that last out. The Pirates rattled off a walk, three singles and three-run home run, a barrage the Tigers survived in an 8-7 win.
“Some of the damage he gave up is not indicative of him not being good enough,” Hinch said. “It’s just the execution is heightened when you get to this level.”
Sears, the energetic, fast-working lefty who started the season at High-A West Michigan, ended up with a 7.11 ERA in six games, making three starts. He also walked eight in 19 innings.
“We saw glimpses of exactly why he’s come through the system in such a dynamic way,” Hinch said. “It’s real stuff. It’s an energetic delivery. There is an intense competitor in there. There is some velocity and a unique look. But execution becomes really key for him. He’s got to tighten up some of his secondary pitches. But I think this experience will just fuel his winter toward trying to make our team next year.”
The Tigers also moved outfielder Kerry Carpenter to the 60-day IL to create a spot on the 40-man roster for Verlander.
The Tigers will need to make another roster move on Sunday, Sept. 27, to accommodate the return of right-hander Jack Flaherty, who has been on the IL since July 23. Flaherty is expected to pitch sometime following starter River Ryan.
Tigers vs. Pirates
First pitch: 3:10 p.m. Sunday, Comerica Park, Detroit
TV/radio: Detroit Sports Net/97.1 FM
RHP Jared Jones (5-6, 3.87), Pirates: He’s finishing his first season back after elbow surgery with a flourish. He’s 3-0 in his last four starts, allowing just three runs in 25 innings with 35 strikeouts and four walks. In his home start earlier in the week, he blanked the Cardinals on one hit over seven innings. He’s a fastball bully, averaging 98 mph with his four-seamer, with a 2,500-rpm spin rate, and holding hitters to a .194 average against it. Adding his slider, changeup and occasional curveball, he’s getting a 32.6% whiff rate and a 29% strikeout rate.
RHP River Ryan (0-0, 0.00), Tigers: This will be his second toe-in-the-water start for the Tigers. Acquired from the Dodgers in the Tarik Skubal trade, he made his team debut Monday with three impressive innings against the Nationals (no runs, two hits, three strikeouts). He got two of those strikeouts with his changeup, which he paired off a lively 96-97 mph four-seamer. The expectation is this will be another three- to four-inning outing.
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This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Tigers option Andrew Sears to clear spot for Justin Verlander's finale