Detroit — Asked if he was comfortable with his role coming back after a stint on the injured list, Tyler Alexander shrugged. Reliever, starter, what does it matter at this point?
“I’ve always done that, right?” he said.
Yep, he’s the proverbial Swiss Army knife and he will continue to be now that his elbow is healthy and he’s ready to work. He was a starter when he got injured. He was in the bullpen on Tuesday. Who knows where he’ll be a week from now?
“We have the luxury of being able to do what we want with him,” manager AJ Hinch said before the game Tuesday. “That’s when he’s at his best when he’s an inning here, three innings there, maybe one-plus or come in to get a certain left-handed hitter.
“I want to use him in his best role.”
Which may well again include the occasional start. Hinch intimated that it’s possible Alexander could be the first-used pitcher on Sunday if the Tigers need to deploy another bullpen game against the Rangers at Comerica Park.
“Time will tell if it stays that way, we’ve had to make a lot of adjustments,” Hinch said. “It’s just good to have him back — mustache and all.”
About the mustache — he looks like an 1890s law man — Alexander is carrying forward the tradition started by catcher Jake Rogers, who rocked similar lip hair last season.
“As long as he gets outs, I don’t care what he looks like,” Hinch said, laughing.
So long Barnes
Right-handed reliever Jacob Barnes, who was designated for assignment after the game Monday night, clearing space for Alexander to return, had an enigmatic run with the Tigers. Which was probably predictable the way things started for him in spring training.
He was cut before the end of camp and was in the process of looking for a place to live near Toledo when the Tigers hastily called him back and told him he’d made the team after all when relievers Andrew Chafin, Jose Cisnero and Kyle Funkhouser were injured.
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And with his mid-to-upper-90s fastball and tight cutter, the 32-year-old journeyman made the most of his opportunity. He allowed one run and limited hitters to a .143 batting average in his first 12 outings.
Then things got weird. On May 13 he gave up home runs on consecutive pitches to Orioles’ Trey Mancini and Anthony Santander. They were the only two pitches he threw in the outing. On May 20 at Cleveland, he gave up four runs on four pitches in the sixth inning.
He never quite got right after that.
“He’s really hard on himself,” Hinch said. “He lost a little feel for his command. He was commanding it great early. He had his lanes glove side with his fastball and cutter — high-end velo and pretty good cut. But he started losing the zone and balls started leaking out over the plate and he gave up some damage.
“And when that started happening he started to tweak things and found himself caught in-between a little bit. It kind of piled up on him.”
There is such a thin line between success and failure and bullpen pitchers walk it just about every night. There’s a good chance Barnes will be picked up by another team but if not, you’d think the Tigers would welcome him back to the organization.
Prospect updates
Ryan Garko, the Tigers’ vice president of player development, has been in Detroit the last couple of days. He had some good news regarding No. 12-rated prospect Colt Keith, who injured his right shoulder diving back into first base.
“He’s going to miss some significant time, but our worst fear was that it was going to require surgery and it might be a much longer rehab,” Garko said. “That’s not going to happen. He will go on the IL and he will rehab in Lakeland for the foreseeable future but I think we avoided the worst-case scenario.”
Garko said there is a chance Keith could be back before the end of the season. At the least, they hope he can he back in time to participate in the Arizona Fall League.
At age 20, Keith was crushing High-A pitching at West Michigan. He was hitting .301 and slugging .544 with nine homers and a .914 OPS.
“He really was dominating that league as one of the youngest players in the league,” Garko said. “This is a setback for sure but it’s something he has to work through. But at that age, he’s definitely someone we are excited about. It’s a real left-handed bat.”
Garko also said left-handed pitcher Joey Wentz was getting close to resuming his throwing program. He’s been out with a neck-shoulder issue.
“He’s got a pinch, like a football injury, a stinger, in the front of his shoulder,” he said. “That’s better news than some of the things it could’ve been.”
Around the horn
Third baseman Jeimer Candelario (shoulder) took batting practice before the game then took off to join Triple-A Toledo and begin his rehab assignment on Wednesday. The Mud Hens play a six-game series in Worcester, outside of Boston.
The Tigers start a series at Fenway Park on Monday. Barring any setbacks, Candelario is likely to make the short drive and rejoin the club there.
… Starting pitcher Michael Pineda (broken finger) is expected to throw live batting practice at Comerica Park this weekend. After that, Hinch said, he could be ready to make a rehab start or two.
… Three members of the coaching staff at Toledo have been placed in COVID protocol. Manager Lloyd McClendon, bench coach Tony Cappuccilli and pitching coach Doug Bochtler are out. Hitting coach Adam Melhuse is serving as acting manager.
cmccosky@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @cmccosky
White Sox at Tigers
First pitch: 1:10 p.m. Wednesday, Comerica Park, Detroit
TV/radio: BSD/97.1
SCOUTING REPORT
TBA, White Sox: Manager Tony La Russa decided to wait until after the game Tuesday to announce his starting pitcher.
RHP Alex Faedo (1-2, 2.92), Tigers: He’s given up two runs or less in seven straight starts, not a bad way to start your big league career. His slider has been his best weapon. Hitters are 8-for-38 against it with one extra-base hit, 11 strikeouts and a 41% whiff rate.