Detroit Tigers’ Spencer Turnbull learning ‘different type of patience’ this season

Detroit Tigers right-hander Spencer Turnbull learned patience as he rehabilitated from Tommy John surgery. He regained mobility and range of motion without throwing, played catch at varying distances and, finally, returned to games earlier this year in spring training.

There were more than 650 days between pitches in the big leagues, from June 4, 2021, until April 1, 2023. He underwent elbow surgery to fix the ulnar collateral ligament in July 2021.

He hasn’t always looked sharp in his four starts this season, but the ups and downs are part of the return-to-play process coming out of career-changing surgery and lengthy rehabilitation. It was never going to be a seamless transition.

“It’s definitely a different type of patience,” said Turnbull, who has a career 12-28 record with a 4.47 ERA. “There’s a lot of frustration because I’m such a perfectionist and have such high expectations for myself. But I also have to realize my body can only do what it can do. It’s getting better, and I’ve seen it improve.”

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Before his elbow injury, the 30-year-old had a 2.88 ERA with 12 walks and 44 strikeouts over 50 innings in nine starts during the 2021 season. He also threw a no-hitter, the eighth in franchise history, in the middle of May.

In four starts this season, Turnbull has a 7.85 ERA with nine walks and 13 strikeouts across 18⅓ innings. He surrendered seven runs April 1 against the Tampa Bay Rays, five runs April 6 against the Boston Red Sox, one run April 13 against the Toronto Blue Jays and three runs in Wednesday’s 3-2 loss against the Cleveland Guardians.

He wasn’t pleased with the way Wednesday’s start ended.

Again, that is part of the process.

“The slider is getting better, the velocity is getting better,” Turnbull said. “My stuff is carrying later in the games, but it’s still frustrating. It doesn’t come out as easy as it used to. But it’s getting better and carrying further. I’m happy with that, and I’m proud of that, but it’s also frustrating. It’s the second time I’ve given up three runs in the sixth (inning) and lost us the game.”

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Turnbull cruised through four innings against the Guardians and looked strong entering the fifth inning. Suddenly, his ability to throw strikes vanished with two outs in the fifth, as he walked Gabriel Arias on four pitches and plunked Mike Zunino with a first-pitch sinker.

But Turnbull collected himself.

The next batter, Myles Straw, flied out to right field to end the inning. He swung at a first-pitch 93.1 mph fastball. The velocity of that pitch mirrored the average speed of Turnbull’s fastball throughout the game.

“It’s definitely the best it’s been,” Turnbull said of his fastball, which he used more than any other pitch. “Probably not the best into the fifth and sixth, but it’s carrying later in the games, so it’s improving. It’s definitely a process. I’m not where I want to be yet, but I was really proud of the first five innings.”

The fastball velocity dipped in the sixth inning. He didn’t want to blame his mistakes on fatigue, but he wouldn’t deny fatigue started setting in once he surpassed the 75-pitch mark.

Turnbull threw five heaters in a six-pitch leadoff walk to Steven Kwan: 92.2 mph fastball, 91.7 mph fastball, 92 mph fastball, 92.7 mph fastball and 91.9 mph sinker. His fastball hovered around 91-92 mph in his next matchup against Andres Gimenez, including a game-low 91.5 mph fastball for his third pitch, which ended in a single to center field.

HIs fastball ranged from 91.5 mph to 95.5 mph, averaging 93.2 mph.

“I don’t know that he’s leaking oil as much as he’s a ground ball, double play away,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “When he’s erratic around the zone, it’s hard on the hitter, hard on the catcher and hard to predict what’s next. … It can be difficult. When he’s fresh and he feels good, and he’s got his pitch count under control, I always feel like he’s going to find a ground ball or find a punch out.”

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With two runners on, José Ramírez — a switch-hitting four-time All-Star — stepped to the plate looking to change the game. Turnbull fell behind 2-0 in the count before throwing a 91.9 mph fastball down the middle.

And Ramírez changed the game with one swing. He hammered the lifeless fastball over the right-field wall for a three-run home run, putting the Guardians ahead, 3-0, in the sixth inning.

“I definitely got out some anger after I came out of the game, but again, it’s just part of it,” Turnbull said. “I’m a competitor, and I’m not going to back down from the challenge, but it’s frustrating.”

Turnbull allowed three runs on three hits and three walks with three strikeouts in 5⅓ innings. The Tigers ended up losing, 3-2, despite competitive plate appearances — and home runs from Spencer Torkelson and Zach McKinstry — in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings.

The home run from Ramírez, and the noncompetitive pitches leading up to the slugger’s 27th homer against the Tigers in his career, put Turnbull’s team in a hole entering the final three innings.

Turnbull wishes he could have finished his fourth outing strong.

“You get mad at yourself because you want to be better,” Turnbull said, “and you know deep down that you are better than that, but it’s also part of the process. It is where I’m at right now.”

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold.