Toronto − Tyler Nevin was patrolling left field for Triple-A Toledo Tuesday night, collecting a couple more hits, including a double and an RBI. A few hours later, he was booking a flight to join the Tigers in Toronto.
You can say it happens fast, but for Nevin, he’s been waiting for that call for three weeks.
“You don’t mind getting four hours sleep for a day like this,” said Nevin, called up from Toledo to replace pitcher Matt Manning, who was placed on the injured list with a broken fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot.
Nevin, whom the Tigers purchased from the Orioles on Jan. 1, was in the fight for one of the utility spots until an oblique strain brought his camp to a premature end.
“With any injury, there’s no good time to have it,” Nevin said. “People will tell you, at least it was early. Well, early is still important. You just have to keep your head up and try to stay positive, work on what you can work on – and that’s getting better and getting healthier.
“Then you can let other things take care of themselves.”
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Nevin, who will play third base, first base and corner outfield, has done nothing but hit since he’s been cleared to play. He was slashing .514/.553/.771 with a 1.324 OPS in 38 plate appearances at Toledo.
“When we reinstated him and sent him down, we were always trying to find ways to incorporate him into the team,” manager AJ Hinch said. “He’s swinging the bat well and he can play a couple of different positions. He was right in the mix to make our team out of camp until he got hurt.
“This is just an extension of the opportunity for him.”
It remains to be seen how long of an opportunity this turns out to be.
Right-hander Michael Lorenzen (groin) is expected to be activated this weekend. He will take Manning’s spot in the rotation. That means, unless the Tigers deploy a seven-man bullpen, a position player will have to be sent out to make room on the roster.
Hinch said he would have more information on the next roster move Thursday. But the roster seems atypically thick with utility infielders.
With Nevin, a right-handed hitter on board, the Tigers have three right-handed hitting multi-positional infielders (Nevin, Ryan Kreidler and Jonathan Schoop) and two left-handed hitting multi-positional infielders (Nick Maton and Zach McKinstry).
Presumably, someone from that group will be sent down or out.
Manning’s plan
As Nevin was flying in, Manning was flying out. The Tigers sent him back to Detroit to get more tests on his foot.
“That will give us a more definitive timeline and expectations,” Hinch said. “He’s not going to make his next start, contrary to his declaration that it’s only a foot (laughter). We should have more information when we get back home Thursday night.”
Manning took a 97-mph comebacker hit by Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk off his foot on his final pitch of his outing Tuesday. The ball caromed to first baseman Spencer Torkelson. Manning, broken bone and all, hustled to first base to complete the out.
He said afterword that he still hoped to make his next start.
“I’m trying to think that I’ll be back out there,” he said. “Give it a week and see how it feels and then get back out there. It’s just a foot.”
Generally speaking, the recovering time for this injury is a minimum of six weeks – two weeks in a boot and then four weeks to heal and strengthen.
chris.mccosky@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @cmccosky
Tigers at Blue Jays
When: 7:10 p.m., Thursday, Rogers Centre, Toronto
TV/radio: BSD/97.1
Scouting report
RHP Spencer Turnbull (0-2, 13.50), Tigers: His stuff is still in build-up mode, which is understandable in his first season back after Tommy John surgery. His velo is down about 2 mph on his four-seam and sinker and he still hasn’t been comfortable with his slider. But his compete level is high, as he displayed going 5.2 innings against the Red Sox last week.
RHP Chris Bassitt (1-1, 10.61), Blue Jays: He brings an eight-pitch pallet but relies heavily on his sinker, which in two starts hasn’t been quite up to speed (sitting 91 mph instead of 93, which less movement). His cutter and changeup have been problems for him, too, which is why left-handed hitters are 8 for 16 with four homers in the small sample. He also walked five in his last start.