Matt Manning ready to rejoin Detroit Tigers after showing ‘best stuff he’s had’

Detroit Free Press

TORONTO — Detroit Tigers right-hander Matt Manning started Wednesday for Triple-A Toledo and completed 5⅔ scoreless innings on 85 pitches.

Those results convinced the Tigers that Manning is ready to join their rotation. The 24-year-old, on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation, hasn’t pitched in the majors since April 16.

“He was great,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “It’s the best stuff he’s had. The performance matched the stuff. Sometimes he’s had better stuff and no performance, and sometimes performance but the stuff is lighter. I think it came together. He had all his pitches working and reported back that he felt great.”

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Manning gave up five hits and two walks with six strikeouts in Wednesday’s rehab outing, his seventh this season.

Now, Manning is scheduled to travel to Minneapolis on Sunday to meet the Tigers ahead of a three-game series against the Minnesota Twins which begins Monday. At that point, the Tigers and Manning will figure out when to put him back into the rotation.

“I want to make sure that he’s ready to go,” Hinch said. “He was a big part of our original rotation at the beginning of the year, and we need to get him back in the flow of everything. Mentally and physically, he’s gotten over the hump of an injury that was troublesome.”

Manning has a 5.50 ERA with 33 walks and 61 strikeouts over 93⅓ innings in his 20-start MLB career, with 18 of those starts occurring in 2021. This year, he owns a 2.25 ERA with zero walks and four strikeouts in eight innings over two starts.

Soon, the Tigers’ five-man rotation will include Manning, Tarik Skubal, Tyler Alexander, Beau Brieske and either Garrett Hill or Drew Hutchison. Brieske, on the injured list due to fatigue, is scheduled to pitch in a couple days for Toledo.

Pineda still out

Right-hander Michael Pineda (right triceps tightness) played catch in the outfield before Friday’s game, but he is not close to full health. The best-case scenario is Pineda returns in two or three weeks.

The 33-year-old, who said he felt pain near his elbow in his last outing, has a 5.27 ERA with six walks and 23 strikeouts over 42⅔ innings in 10 starts this season. The Tigers signed Pineda to a one-year, $5.5 million contract in March.

Returning to game action

Right-handed reliever Wily Peralta (left hamstring strain) pitched a scoreless ninth inning Wednesday and earned the save for Toledo. He worked around a pair of hits with a triad of strikeouts, throwing 14 of 19 pitches for strikes.

It was Peralta’s first rehab outing.

The 33-year-old needs one or two more appearances for the Mud Hens before he can join the Tigers’ bullpen.

Agent news

Second baseman Jonathan Schoop is now represented by Bryce Dixon of Primo Sports Group. He was previously with Scott Boras.

Schoop — with Boras as his agent — signed a two-year, $15 million contract extension last August for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. He has an opt-out clause after 2022. The 30-year-old is batting .211 with seven home runs, 13 walks and 77 strikeouts in 96 games this season.

Defensively, Schoop has been worth plus-5 defensive runs saved and an MLB-leading plus-21 outs above average.

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzoldRead more on the Detroit Tigers and sign up for our Tigers newsletter.

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