Encouraging Update Provided on Detroit Tigers Starting Pitcher Beginning Rehab
The Detroit Tigers have been able to keep their slim playoff hopes alive with some improved play over the last few weeks. It has been an impressive feat given how limited the starting pitching has been for the team.
Ace Tarik Skubal continues to dominate opponents, but he is the only starting pitcher the team has been using recently along with Keider Montero. A.J. Hinch has been filling in the gaps otherwise with an array of openers turning the ball over to the likes of Bryan Sammons, Kenta Maeda and Brant Hurter.
It’s quite impressive that Hinch has been able to piece things together this long, as the Tigers have been playing some of their best baseball of the season. But, reinforcements are going to be on the way soon.
Starting pitcher Reese Olson worked his first bullpen session on Wednesday, one month after landing on the injured list because of a right shoulder strain. Following the bullpen, Olson remains on track to return to the mound in September.
"It felt pretty normal," Olson said. "It's just another step in getting back, so I'm pretty happy to feel good in the first one."
20 pitches were thrown in the session on Wednesday. He was able to mix in all of his pitches, but the control wasn’t where he wanted it to be. Given how long he has been sidelined, that shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.
"My command probably wasn't as great as it would've been a few weeks ago," Olson said, "but everything came out good."
Coming away from the bullpen without any issues is a win for Olson. The next step in the process will be increasing the pitch count in future sessions so that he can build his arm strength back up.
"We've got to build volume and get him off the mound again in a few days and just continue the normal ramp back up," Hinch said. "I'm as encouraged as you could be at this stage. He told me, as much as he's been rehabbing, he expected to feel good, and he should feel good, and he does."
Before going down with the injury, Olson was providing Detroit with some excellent production. They have a strong trio atop the rotation with him, Skubal and Jack Flaherty.
In 19 starts, Olson recorded a record of 4-8 despite having a 3.23 ERA in 103 innings with 92 strikeouts. It will be interesting to see how much action he gets in September, as it could be only one or two starts. But, getting back out there has been the plan from Day 1.
“From the beginning, when we laid out the plan, if everything went good along the way, I'd be back at some point in September," Olson said. "I'm on the right track for that."
Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.