The Detroit Tigers are making a wild move, calling up lefty prospect Andrew Sears from Triple-A Toledo, and he is set to make his big-league debut this Sunday, August 23rd. Manager AJ Hinch himself confirmed the club is purchasing Sears’s contract, with plans for the 23-year-old to work in bulk relief during what is scheduled to be a bullpen game against the Royals. This kid’s got a nickname, “psycho,” from his Double-A days, and if Hinch’s excitement is any indication, we’re about to find out why.
This Guy’s Got “Real Weapons” and a Story Already
Hinch isn’t holding back, saying they are “excited to promote him” because Sears “has got real weapons.” The challenge is real, though; this is a massive leap since he only had a couple of games in Triple-A. But hey, the manager also said Sears “demonstrated the ability to compete against anybody.” This lefty, ranked 10th in the Tigers system by MLB Pipeline, first got everyone’s attention at the end of last season. He threw a 3.44 ERA over his last seven starts at Double-A Erie, racking up 37 strikeouts to just eight walks, holding opponents to a .244/.288/.374 line. His season started late this year, May 15th, because of a fractured bone in his elbow, so it’s been a bit of a nurture job through the season. But Hinch emphasized, “he’s continued to throw strikes and pitches with some intensity.” That intensity? That’s where the “psycho” nickname comes from. The dude is animated on the mound, a big guy at 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, who attacks hitters with sinkers and sliders from a low arm angle, similar to Brant Hurter, but Sears throws harder, sitting at 93-95 mph.
What Sears Is Bringing to the Show
Hinch told Sears directly that “his best is good enough.” The message is simple: come in, remember the game, and get to strike one. His stuff is expected to play well at this level, mostly because he can miss bats and brings multiple weapons with that “attack mentality.” You are going to see some intensity, some speed, and some adrenaline, that much is clear. Sears’s brief Triple-A stint was nothing short of dominant, tossing 9.2 scoreless innings across just two appearances, giving up only two hits while fanning 14 and walking four. The club will announce the corresponding roster moves before Sunday’s game. The plan is to give Sears some serious runway through September, and it is still up in the air if he stays in the rotation or works in long relief. One scenario being floated is moving Keider Montero back to a leverage bullpen role and sliding Sears into the rotation, especially since Montero has already thrown a career-high in innings and pitches this season. Montero’s Monday start got pushed to the Dodgers series later in August.
So, get ready to tune in Sunday at 2:10 p.m. Pacific from Kauffman Stadium, because this “psycho” lefty is about to unleash on the big leagues, and everyone’s watching to see if he can make that big leap.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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