DETROIT -- While the Detroit Tigers have been surging, Andy Ibanez has been scuffling.
The Tigers infielder/utility man known for terrorizing left-handed pitchers is hitting just .175 (7-for-40) since Aug. 26. All seven hits are singles.
Even so, Ibanez is leading off on Thursday afternoon as the Tigers fight for a playoff spot. Why? Lefty Tyler Alexander is on the hill for the Tampa Bay Rays.
“We’re facing two lefties in a row -- today and Friday -- so Andy will get some consistent at-bats, which is good,” said Tigers manager A.J. Hinch. “He wants it so badly when he’s in there, and sometimes that makes him a bit over-anxious, maybe swinging too much. Nobody is more prepared than him, and no one has more energy in their at-bats than Andy.”
Ibanez’s role as a neutralizer of left-handers will become even more important if the Tigers make the playoffs. That’s why the Tigers would love to get him jumpstarted in the final days of the season.
“It’s important as we play these games and build our lineups. Andy, J-Hen, and (Matt) Vierling, when he’s not starting, become critical elements off the bench. Tonight, with a lefty starter, we want Andy to get as many at-bats as possible. Hopefully, he can kick-start us in the first inning.”
Facing a tough test
Hinch said he wasn’t offended that Chicago White Sox interim manager Grady Sizemore saved ace Garrett Crochet to face the Tigers on Friday.
Sizemore reasoned that the White Sox, in the midst of one of the worst seasons in baseball history, should still be prepared to put up a good fight against their division rival in a potentially meaningful final series.
“It’s always good for the game when the best players are playing,” Hinch said. " It’s a challenge -- we know how good he is -- but it’s no surprise. Honestly, we don’t care. We need to win the game in front of us, and we’ll get ready for him tomorrow.”
Crochet has been perhaps the only bright spot for the Sox this year. He’s struck out 203 and walked 32 in 142 innings (31 starts).
Crochet has been limited to 50-60 pitches per start since mid-August, but he’s still capable of dominance. He struck out eight over four shutout innings in his last start on Sept. 20 against the Padres.
Skubal’s next start
Tigers ace Tarik Skubal will only pitch in Sunday’s regular-season finale against the White Sox if a playoff spot is at stake, Hinch said.
If the game simply concerns seeding -- whether the Tigers will finish as the second or third wild-card team -- Skubal will be rested to start Game 1 of the Wild Card Series, likely in Baltimore or Houston.
“It’s unlikely we’d concern ourselves with seeding, but let’s hope we’re in that situation with even the smallest of dilemmas,” Hinch said. “Off the top of my head, I’d say no, it doesn’t make sense to pitch him for seeding. It would if it’s a must-win to qualify. But we have a hundred decisions to make between now and then.”
When is Jobe pitching again?
Tigers rookie Jackson Jobe made his big-league debut with a scoreless ninth inning on Wednesday.
Since Jobe has never pitched as a reliever before, the Tigers may be cautious in how they deploy him. For example, would Jobe be able to pitch again on Thursday on back-to-back days?
“One of the biggest debates we have is when to make him available again,” Hinch said. “He didn’t throw many pitches, which is great. He’s unlikely to be used today but never say never.
“We’d like to get him in again, and I’d love for it to be in the same situation -- meaning we’re winning, and he’s pitching one or two innings. That’d be phenomenal.”
Jobe said he was nervous warming in the bullpen on Wednesday, but once he got to the mound, he was fine. The waiting, as they say, is the hardest part.
“Oddly enough, I think the more attention he got, and the more the crowd got into it, the more relaxed he became,” Hinch said. “There was a sense of relief at the end of the game for him -- that it was over, and he got through it. He had a sense of pride, coming off that competitive high, getting a bunch of hugs, and looking for his family. It was a picture-perfect debut for a young guy who, 48 or 72 hours ago, had no idea he was coming to the big leagues. He’ll remember it for the rest of his life. Hopefully, it’s just the start of an impactful career, and we hope he’s in our uniform for a long time.”