Detroit Tigers right-hander Spencer Turnbull is still going through the rehabilitation process in Lakeland, Florida, but he is getting closer to returning.
Turnbull has been on the 10-day injured list since June 5 with a right forearm strain. He removed himself from a June 4 game against the Chicago White Sox and following an evaluation from the team’s athletic trainers, was deemed unable to pitch.
Tigers manager AJ Hinch said Turnbull is “playing catch pretty aggressively” in Lakeland and could begin throwing from the pitcher’s mound soon.
“He’s looking to get on the mound hopefully mid-week to late-week this week for the first time, so that’s encouraging,” Hinch said Tuesday. “He’s had no problem with his ramp up in his throwing program. The next test is going to be off the mound and introducing the slope to him. Once we got him running, he’s taken off and done quite well.”
In nine starts, Turnbull posted a 2.88 ERA, 12 walks and 44 strikeouts over 50 innings. He pitched a no-hitter May 18 against the Seattle Mariners. He walked two batters, recorded nine strikeouts and fired 77 of 117 pitches en route to making history.
Another injured pitcher, righty reliever Alex Lange, threw a bullpen Sunday in Detroit before the Tigers left for Cleveland. He has since reported to Triple-A Toledo to conclude his rehab work.
“I believe he’s got another bullpen soon,” Hinch said. “We’ll have a live BP and then get him on a rehab assignment.”
Lange was placed on the 10-day injured list June 15 with a right shoulder strain.
For the Tigers, Lange has a 7.31 ERA, nine walks and 20 strikeouts over 16 innings. He has also tossed 7⅓ innings across seven appearances for the Mud Hens, with a 7.36 ERA, eight walks and four strikeouts.
Wednesday’s starter
For Game 2 of Saturday’s doubleheader, the Tigers limited right-hander Wily Peralta to 50 pitches across 2⅔ hitless innings. He allowed two walks, but Hinch pulled him with a no-hitter intact. That was the plan, considering Peralta is starting Wednesday against Cleveland.
This time, Peralta won’t be given restrictions.
“It’ll be a normal start for him,” Hinch said. “We limited him last start purposely for the start tomorrow to be a fairly regular start. He’s still short, like he’s not going to go seven or eight innings. We’re looking for your normal five-inning start.”
Foreign substances
Seattle Mariners reliever Hector Santiago, a 10-year MLB veteran, was suspended by MLB for 10 games on Tuesday. Umpire Phil Cuzzi confiscated Santiago’s glove during Sunday’s game, believed he discovered a foreign substance and ejected him.
Santiago is the first pitcher to be suspended for using foreign substances since MLB began its crackdown June 21. He appealed the suspension right away. If the suspension is upheld, the Mariners won’t be able to replace him on the 26-man roster until he is reinstated.
Hinch weighed in, explaining there is some confusion about where rosin — which is allowed — can be placed on the upper body. Pitchers can use rosin on their pitching hand, wrist and forearm. But they can’t use it inside their glove.
“It’s terrible for a team if that happens,” Hinch said. “I don’t know the details surrounding that situation. There’s a lot of confusion on where rosin can and can’t go, where it creates sticky, where it doesn’t. The player has the right to defend himself, and I know he has. It’s a great reminder to all pitchers that it’s very detrimental to a team.”
The crackdown on foreign substances, Hinch said, hasn’t changed anything about the way he manages.
“I don’t think there’s any issue on our team that I need to alter my usage of them or effectiveness of their pitches,” Hinch said. “Our guys have known since spring training that this was going to be addressed, one way or another. And I think our guys have made the adjustments needed.”
Evan Petzold is a sports reporter at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold. Read more on the Detroit Tigers and sign up for our Tigers newsletter.