Brant Hurter, the Tigers’ lefty reliever, couldn’t even get through a single inning in his Triple-A Toledo rehab start on Tuesday, August 18. This guy, who’s been battling lumbar spine inflammation, is really struggling to find his footing, and his latest outing was a straight-up gut punch, giving up a run, two hits, and two walks in just two-thirds of an inning before getting the hook. Seriously, his fastball barely scraped 90 mph. That’s a huge red flag, and manager A.J. Hinch isn’t just shrugging it off.
Something’s Off With Hurter, And It’s Not Just the Results
Hinch was talking to pitching coach Chris Fetter Wednesday morning, digging deep into Hurter’s latest rehab outing. They know something’s wrong beyond just bad luck. Hinch said it himself: “His body is not firing. The velocity is not where it normally is. And his delivery is something that we’re digging into. What is causing… his stuff not being at his best?” You hear that? It’s not about pitch selection or location right now. It’s about his whole body. The club is laser-focused on getting him back to physically doing what he does when he’s good. They know they can work on the results later, but first, they need to figure out how to get his body to fire a little bit faster. When your velocity drops like that, it’s more than just a bad day on the mound. It could be a major problem for a bullpen that absolutely needs help.
Greene’s Hamstring Is Getting Better, But There’s Still a Catch
On the flip side, there’s some good news for the Tigers’ lineup with Riley Greene’s rehab trending positive. The left fielder, who hit the injured list on August 12 with right hamstring tightness, is recovering in Lakeland, Fla. Manager A.J. Hinch says Greene has returned to baseball activity and is getting on his feet “a tick faster” than they thought, which is huge! They’ve got this awesome therapy pool in Lakeland that’s apparently magic for lower extremity injuries. Hinch doesn’t expect Greene to be back right after his 10-day IL stint is over, but he’s hopeful it won’t be much longer. Greene’s bat in the cleanup spot is a serious missing piece, protecting those top-order hitters, and the offense definitely feels his absence.
Hinch is eyeing Greene to return “at home,” when the Tigers kick off a six-game homestand against the Tampa Bay Rays and the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday, August 24. While Greene’s production can come in bunches, he’s also prone to those frustrating droughts. Still, getting him back at his level, consistently, is the goal. Hinch admits that the further he’s been from big league pitching, the more they’ll need to consider a rehab assignment start or two. But hey, the faster they get him back safely, the better, right?
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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