Detroit — When lefty Brant Hurter went down on May 23 (lumbar spine inflammation), it opened a gaping hole in the Tigers’ bullpen.
At the time, it felt irreparable. It left the Tigers with two lefties, Tyler Holton and long-reliever Enmanuel De Jesus. Missing was Hurter’s ability to be both a multi-inning bridge and, whenever Holton was unavailable, a leverage situational lefty.
And yet here we are, a full month later, and we aren’t talking about any kind of gaping hole in the bullpen.
Credit that to the next man up, who in this case has been 6-3, 250-pound lefty Drew Sommers.
In the Tigers’ 5-4, 10-inning, series-sweeping win against the White Sox Sunday, manager AJ Hinch, having used Holton for two innings on Saturday, would certainly have brought in Hurter for the top of the eighth inning.
The Tigers were down 3-1 and the top of the White Sox order was due up, featuring three left-handed hitters. Without hesitation, he summoned Sommers and he struck out Sam Antonacci, right-handed pinch-hitter Randal Grichuk and Colston Montgomery.
“I think he’s nasty, really tough on lefties,” Hinch said recently. “If he can navigate the counter, the righties, the pinch-hitters, that’s the difference between him being a viable option or just somebody who is filling in.”
He’s become viable. Hitters are 2-for-20 against him since his arrival, with 10 strikeouts. Lefties are 1-for-12. Righties are 1-for-8. He hasn’t allowed an extra-base hit.
“I don’t think he’s close (to being a viable option), I think he’s there,” Hinch said before the game Monday. “Yesterday proved that he’s a good matchup against anybody. He’s just a really tough look. I used him against (Houston Astros’ lefty slugger) Yordan Alvarez on back-to-back nights. And Montgomery has been a real issue for us this year.
“Those at-bats show he’s getting more and more comfortable in the strikeouts and with his execution.”
Not at all the same guy who showed up last season and seemed utterly overwhelmed by the level.
“If we can learn patience in this world, it would probably help view people and players differently,” Hinch said. “He learned a lot and I think the game slows down a little bit. It’s not as new. The strike-throwing, has been excellent.”
Sommers, 25, was acquired from the Rays before last season for right-hander Mason Englert. And his first taste of the big leagues was bitter. In three innings, he was tagged for six runs on seven hits and three walks.
He’s not that guy now, on or off the field.
“Just having the experience from last year,” Sommers said. “Getting all the butterflies out and knowing the teammates more. I was very timid when I first walked in the door last year. Lots of big names. I didn’t know how to act or conduct myself. But after having spring training in big-league camp and getting to know these guys better, it’s like, OK, they’re just like any other players.
“It’s the same. So I’m not freaking out.”
He’s pounding the strike zone, that is the primary difference. His strike percentage has increased from 57% to 67%.
“The overall conviction comes with the experience,” Hinch said. “There have been some subtle adjustments. Player development has done a good job of centralizing the adjustment when he starts spraying the ball a little bit. But mostly, he’s a calmer version of himself now.”
He showed some advanced pitch-ability on Sunday. He won a seven-pitch at-bat against Antonacci, showing him sinkers and sliders for six pitches and then busting a 2-2 four-seamer above the zone and getting the chase.
Against the right-hander Grichuk, who is still in the league because of his ability to mash lefties, Sommers fell behind 2-1. Dangerous count, but Sommers surprised him with a well-disguised, well-located changeup. That’s Sommers’ third pitch, the one he’s developing to neutralize righties and he had Grichuk well out in front.
He put him away with a four-seamer.
Sommers didn’t mess around with Montgomery, beating him with three straight, 95-mph four-seamers.
“Everybody, when they first come up, whether it be butterflies or just the adjustment to the league, it always happens,” catcher Dillon Dingler said of Sommers’ rough debut. “He’s been up here already so he’s made the adjustment. The biggest thing is just being in the zone.
“Drew is awesome. He’s got great stuff. Talking to some of the (opposing hitters), they say he’s a tough at-bat.”
The White Sox would concur.
“Simple as that,” Sommers shrugged. “I got comfortable and I am able to just do what I do best.”
Yankees at Tigers
First pitch: 6:40, Wednesday, Comerica Park, Detroit
TV/radio: Detroit Sports Net/97.1, 107.9
TUESDAY’S SCOUTING REPORT
➤ LHP Carlos Rodon (3-2, 3.50), Yankees: Coming off elbow surgery, this will be just his eighth start. But he allowed three runs or less in the first seven. In the short sample, he’s having trouble finding his slider lane against left-handed hitters. They are 5-for-12 with two doubles and a homer off it. The Tigers have a history of making Rodon work (5.44 ERA in 15 starts) and his 13% walk rate this year should play into that narrative.
➤ RHP Casey Mize (2-4, 2.58), Tigers: This will be his second start back off the IL (groin). His stuff was good in Houston last Wednesday but his command, especially with his slider, was a tick off. The bulk of the damage (three runs in 4.2 innings) came off mis-located sliders (doubles by Christian Walker and Yordan Alvarez, solo homer by Jeremy Pena). He will face more lefty hitters against the Yankees, which will bring his splitter more into play.
chris.mccosky@detroitnews.com
@cmccosky
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Tigers’ Drew Sommers has gone from ‘freaking out’ to logging big outs
Reporting by Chris McCosky, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
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By Chris McCosky, The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
