With pitching depth thinning, Tigers may consider sliding Brieske into rotation

Anaheim, Calif. — The Tigers kicked around the concept early in spring training.

They had six big-league worthy starting pitchers vying for five rotation spots. What if, the discussion went, we keep six starting pitchers but use one of them out of the bullpen — keeping that sixth starter stretched out with longer relief roles, spot starts or, in the event of injury or poor performance, an easy transition to the rotation.

The discussion didn’t go very far.

There were negative implications for the bullpen construction. Would that sixth starter get enough work to stay stretched out? And transitioning that pitcher back into the rotation wouldn’t be that simple and would likely require one or two build-up outings in Triple-A.

“I think it’s hard,” manager AJ Hinch said. “Whatever you can physically do, it doesn’t mean it’s going to be that easy. It’s more than just the capacity.”

The Phillies were using former Tiger Spencer Turnbull essentially as a sixth starter, using him out of the bullpen for bulk innings. He had thrown 49 pitches in his relief outing prior to getting the start at Comerica Park Wednesday.

He thought he could go 70 pitches. He ended up pitching three innings and leaving with shoulder soreness. The Phillies put him on the injured list Thursday with a lat strain.

The injury wasn’t necessarily related to the abrupt role change. But there is a reason why pitchers are steadfast about sticking to their routines.

“Some of it is relatable to what you just threw, your conditioning and what you are capable of throwing,” Hinch said. “But your routine changes (when you go from bullpen to rotation). Your throwing program in between your outings, your weight room work, your cardio program.

“The difficulty is the changes in all of that more than the pitch count and adding volume. Guys are generally more capable than we probably think. The change of routine is a completely different challenge.”

The reason this discussion is coming up again is because of right-hander Beau Brieske. If the Tigers ever wanted to use the sixth-starter-in-the-bullpen maneuver, Brieske would be the top candidate for the role.

He made 15 starts for the Tigers in 2022 and has been transitioned to a bullpen bridge role because he can get hits out on both sides of the plate and provide length. And there is still some concern about its effectiveness the second and third time through a batting order.

He had back-to-back 53-pitch outings at the start of June. Recently, after Alex Faedo went on the IL, he was used in shorter, more leverage-oriented spots. And he’s thrived. In his last four outings, he covered 7.1 innings allowing only one baserunner (a single) with eight strikeouts.

Faedo was activated on Thursday.

Brieske, for the record, is on board if the Tigers ever thing to put him back in the rotation.

“I feel like, the way I want to pitch out of the pen is the way I want to pitch as a starter right now,” he said. “Just go out with my full arsenal and not leave any pitches in my back pocket. Just get guys out the same way I would if I was starting.”

Brieske leaned heavily on his high-spin (2,500 rpm), high-velocity (96 mph) four-seam fastball and firm changeup (88 mph). Hitters are 2 for 20 against his heating and hitting .231 with a 34% whiff rate against his changeup.

His slider is the x-factor for him. It’s his most inconsistent pitch, both in terms of usage and effectiveness. If he continues to develop that into a pitch that can miss bats more frequently, he’s going to be hard to keep out of the rotation down the road.

But for right now, you wonder what the Tigers will do if Jack Flaherty is traded, if Kenta Maeda continues to trade, if one of the starters has to go on the IL.

A couple of months ago, that answer was right-hander Matt Manning. But he’s hit a bump in the road in Toledo. In his last two starts, he’s been tagged for 12 runs and 16 hits in 9 innings.

Keider Montero was the second option and while his stuff has shown to be big-league ready, he’s still raw and unpolished.

Beyond that, the options are thin and the thought of shifting Brieske to the rotation doesn’t seem without merit.

“I think it would just come down the build-up,” Brieske said. “Get built up to six or seven innings, 100 pitches, whatever it may be. If you can get to the five-inning mark, then you just take it out one inning at a time from there.

“Anyone who has gone multiple innings out of the pen, you’re not fully built-up to be a starter. But you are built up to be as close as you can be.”

For the record, the Tigers have not discussed this with Brieske this season. He came to camp trying to win a bridge relief role and he’s excelled at it. And he’s happy doing it.

Aim…

“I wouldn’t hate it,” he said, if he was asked to transition. “Whatever I can do to throw innings. As many innings as possible. That’s the way I look at it.”

Faedo back

Hinch said Faedo would be available as soon as Thursday.

“He’s done all the work he’s needed to do,” he said. “He’s ready.”

It will be interesting how Hinch uses Faedo and Brieske, two right-handers who control both sides of the plate and can go multiple innings.

“They’ll get plenty of time,” Hinch said. “There’s plenty of inners to go around. What I like about it is not having to rely on one or the other. And Will (Vest) has evolved into a kind of fireman, no matter what the situation.

“It feels like our pen is back intact again with multiple-inning relievers who can get an inherited runner out and then go back out there the next inning and we shouldn’t have to do it again the next day because of the presence of others .”

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