Cleveland – Jose Cisneros was a happy man on Thursday.
Finally, after nearly five months of recovery and rehab from a shoulder injury, he was back with the team and set to be activated and reclaim his role in the Tigers’ bullpen.
Less than 12 hours later, he was packing his bag and scrambling to get a flight home.
“I got a call this morning,” manager AJ Hinch said. “He’s had a family emergency and he was leaving the team immediately. We will respect his privacy but it is heartbreaking for him.”
The Tigers placed Cisneros on the bereavement list and recalled rookie right-hander Angel De Jesus.
“We’d already made the move to DFA (reliever) Drew Carlton,” Hinch said. “So we had to quickly pivot to De Jesus.
“I just feel for Jose. It’s a serious situation for him and his family.”
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As unfortunate and sad as it is for Cisneros, this fits the running narrative of the 2022 season for the Tigers. It’s been one malady after another – from losing four-fifths of the original starting rotation, to the curious case of Austin Meadows, to the sudden exit of Eduardo Rodriguez, on and on.
Carlton, who had pitched two scoreless innings on Wednesday in Kansas City, flew with the team to Cleveland and because Cisnero was being activated off the 60-day injured list, the Tigers had to clear a spot on the 40-man roster.
Carlton was the choice.
“As we start getting guys back, the organization is going to have to make tough decisions,” HInch said. “That was the decision that came down. I do hope Drew stays in the organization. We will see what happens on the waiver wire. That was the best I’d seen him throw in the year and a half I’ve been here.
“He is certainly usable at this level.”
If Carlton clears waivers, he can resign back with the Tigers on a minor-league deal.
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MORE BAD NEWS
The body blows didn’t stop with Cisnero.
Hinch also announced that reliever Kyle Funkhouser and starter Alex Faedo have been shut down.
Funkhouser, a workhorse out of the bullpen last season, has been out all season with a shoulder injury.
“He’s going to see a specialist,” Hinch said. “He’s had recurring pain in his lat and shoulder. We’ve stopped his throwing program for the time being but we anticipate it being a longer issue once he sees more doctors. It’s not good news.”
Faedo was expected to make a start with Triple-A Toledo Saturday but he’s still feeling pain in his hip. He, too, will seek multiple medical opinions.
“I don’t think we know the full extent,” Hinch said. “But anytime you start seeing specialists – and it’s not just this year. We’ve had a really rough year health-wise. But you start factoring in specialists and flying around the country seeing doctors, it’s never a good sign.
“Sometimes you come out of it and it’s, ‘Hey, stay status quo and go with it.’ But a lot of times it’s tough news. I don’t want to speculate because I have no idea. But I have my concerns.”
WELCOME BACK
De Jesus, 25, made his big-league debut back on April 23. And then he was gone. He threw two scoreless innings against the Rockies in the first game of a doubleheader and was sent back to Triple-A Toledo.
“That motivated me a lot,” said the skinny, 6-4 right-hander through Tigers’ bilingual interpreter Carlos Guillen. “I’ve already tasted how it is here. Of course everybody wants to be up here. Nobody wants to be down in the minor leagues. I am motivated to stay at this level.”
He featured a two-pitch repertoire in his debut, a slider and a sinker (93 mph). In his last 10 outings with Toledo (10.2 innings), opponents slashed .189/.244/.432 against him. He pitched a scoreless inning Thursday in St. Paul.
“When I was sent down they told me they wanted me to be more consistent,” he said. “That was the key for me to be in the Majors and to stay in the Majors. That’s what I’ve been working on.”
AROUND THE HORN
…The Tigers have pulled rookie Beau Brieske off his start Sunday. There is no health issue, but he’s already at 81 innings and the Tigers are going to have to start restricting his workload. First step is to give him some extended rest over the All-Star break. The Tigers will go with a bullpen day on Sunday. Hinch said he had not determined who he’d use to start the game.
…Wily Peralta (hamstring) has been in Detroit working out a local facility while he tends to his wife, who is pregnant and expecting to deliver soon. Hinch said the plan is for Peralta to fly out with the team to Oakland after the break and be evaluated by pitching coaches Chris Fetter and Juan Nieves to assess his readiness to pitch.
Tigers at Guardians
First pitch: 4:10 p.m., Progressive Field, Cleveland
TV/Radio: Bally Sports Detroit, FS1, 97.1.
Scouting report:
RHP Michael Pineda (2-4, 3.58), Tigers: When he beat the Guardians on July 6, he didn’t have his good slider. So he threw 55 four-seam fastballs in five innings, just moving it around the plate, cutting it here and there and letting Comerica Park do what it does – swallow fly balls. Seven of his 15 outs were balls hit in the air.
RHP Cal Quantrill (5-5, 3.99), Guardians: It’s true of just about every pitcher but particularly for Quantrill – he is at his best when he’s ahead in the count. When he’s behind hitters, they hit 60 points higher with a 200-point increase in on-base average and an OPS that is 300 points higher. The Tigers made him pitch in the zone on July 5 and scored six runs (three earned) in four innings.
Twitter: @cmccosky