DETROIT — The sight of Matt Manning walking straight down the dugout steps towards the clubhouse was a clear sign of his frustration following his fourth-inning exit in Monday afternoon’s 8-7 loss to the White Sox. So was the chucking of his glove once he returned to the Tigers’ dugout, a familiar sight in games in which he struggles.
It wasn’t Manning’s final start of the season, or even his final start against the White Sox. He’ll likely face them again over the weekend in Chicago during the Tigers’ final series of 2021. But it was a start that was due to test the 23-year-old right-hander’s progress as he wraps up his rookie campaign. Manning faced the White Sox a week prior, allowing three runs in five innings with more walks (three) than strikeouts (two), but he had a week to prepare after that for a lineup that had already clinched the AL Central title in Cleveland and was making a one-day return to Detroit for a makeup game before heading back to Chicago.
Things seemed set up for Manning to thrive, and his leadoff strikeout of Luis Robert was encouraging. But from his ensuing back-to-back walks to Leury García and José Abreu, he was in for a struggle.
Manning threw 25 pitches in the first inning without the White Sox putting any in play, escaping a jam with a double play on a strikeout and caught stealing. He retired seven consecutive batters after Eloy Jiménez crushed a ball that hit off shortstop Niko Goodrum for a second-inning infield single, then walked the bases loaded following a Yasmani Grandal home run on a 2-0 pitch. Manning’s final six batters all reached base safely.