Kansas City — Part of what president Scott Harris and manager AJ Hinch have set out to do this season is establish a culture of development. This is still a young team with a lot players in various stages of their development cycle.
So, no, the Tigers didn’t give up on Spencer Torkelson after they sent him back to Triple-A last season. Hinch didn’t drop Riley Greene to the bottom of his batting order when he was scuffling earlier this season. He didn’t stop playing Nick Maton or Matt Vierling when they went through their struggles. And he’s not about to toss away Joey Wentz after a couple of bad starts.
“We’re just not going to be an organization that panics and reacts to every start as if it’s their job on the line,” Hinch said before the game Monday. “We’re going to continue to nurture and do things better and push these guys. We will make decisions when we make decisions – not everybody can do this (struggle) forever.
“But our players will always feel a sense of support from the organization, from me, from (pitching coach Chris) Fetter. We’re going to tirelessly work to find solutions and not use fear tactics to make him pitch better.”
Wentz gave up 10 hits and six runs in his two-plus innings Sunday. The Nationals were steadfast in their approach, hitting all of Wentz’s pitches back up the middle. They were on his pitches so consistently, it seemed fair to ask Hinch if Wentz was tipping his pitches.
“I didn’t see that and I didn’t hear anybody talking about that,” he said. “They just put the ball in play and they found holes. They got some big hits. They got the homer that chased him. I guess I don’t think it’s always someone’s fault when they have a day like that.
“I think the Nationals had a good game plan against him. He threw strikes, he was fairly efficient and they went after him.”
If anything, Hinch said, Wentz maybe let their hitters get too comfortable in the box.
“Looking back – and you can never play the game looking back – I would go old-school and make guys feel a little more uncomfortable if they’re going to swing at pitches out over the plate like that,” Hinch said. “We have to establish that you can’t assume the ball is going to be over the plate. That doesn’t mean throwing at guys.
“It’s just pitching.”
Hinch spent most of early batting practice Monday standing in the outfield talking to Wentz, who has been knocked out in the third inning of his last two starts. When asked what leads gives him faith that Wentz can and will turn it around, he mentioned his stuff, his approach, his mindset and his strike-throwing.
“Joey is really good,” Hinch said. “He hasn’t had great games the last few starts but he’s a really good pitcher. And we do need him, based on where we’re at health-wise.”
With starters Matt Manning, Tarik Skubal, Spencer Turnbull and Beau Brieske on the injured list, and with several starters performing inconsistently at Triple-A Toledo, the rotation depth is paper thin.
“It’s good that Beau is starting to throw and he’s throwing well,” Hinch said. “It’s good that we get to watch Tarik go through his process. Hopefully Matt Manning can start ramping back up soon. But our depth – we left camp with the dreaded, ‘We have a ton of depth.’
“It turns quickly when you start getting guys banged up.”
Minor league trade
The Tigers swapped minor league outfielders with the Marlins Monday, sending 31-year-old center fielder Jonathan Davis to Miami for 23-year-old, Lakeland, Fla.- native Brady Allen.
Davis, who could have opted out of his contract with Triple-A Toledo in June, was having a productive season, slashing .256/.336/.516 with nine doubles, four triples, five homers and 20 RBI. He is expected to report to the Marlins Triple-A affiliate in Jacksonville.
Allen, who is expected to report to High-A West Michigan, was having a big month at Biloxi. The right-handed hitter was slashing .286/.370/.571 with a .941 OPS, seven doubles, a triple, three home runs and 13 RBI.
Around the horn
… Riley Greene is establishing himself as a Royals slayer. He hit safely in all 15 games he played against them last season, hitting .306/.377/.435 with three doubles, a triple, home run and four RBI. Per Elias Sports Bureau, Greene’s 15-game hitting streak against the Royals is the fourth-longest current streak against one team. Freddie Freeman has a 20-game streak against the Red Sox, Starling Marte has an 18-gamer against the Rangers and Josh Bell has a 17-gamer going against the Mets.
… Zach McKinstry was back in the leadoff spot in Hinch’s order Monday. And why not? He came in slashing .302/.415/.396 with 10 walks, two doubles, a homer and four RBI.
chris.mccosky@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @cmccosky
Tigers at Royals
When: 7:40 p.m. Tuesday, Kauffman Stadium. Kansas City
TV/radio: BSD/97.1
Scouting report
LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (4-3, 2.06), Tigers: After six straight dominant starts, he showed up human against the Pirates (four runs in five innings). But he isn’t getting hit very hard. His average exit velocity (85.5 mph) is in the top 8 percentile in baseball. His opponent wOBA (.232) is in the top 7 and his hard-hit rate (28.2%) is in the top 5.
TBA, Royals: The Royals might use an opener to start this game and make it a bullpen game.