Detroit – Paul Sewald was back in the clubhouse Wednesday, but he hadn’t spoken to manager AJ Hinch yet, so there wasn’t much he could offer in terms of what’s next.
“Honestly, I don’t know,” he said.
The fact that Sewald, the veteran right-handed reliever, flew back from Des Moines, Iowa — where he threw 22 pitches for the Toledo Mud Hens — was an indication that his rehab assignment is over.
“We will take that as good news,” Sewald was told by a reporter.
“You can take it any way you want,” Sewald said with a smile. “I don’t know anything. We haven’t had a conversation yet. We have a game against Cleveland and that’s more important than that.
“I’m here and I’m able to talk whenever they want.”
Hinch said Sewald wouldn’t be active Wednesday and probably not Thursday. But it looks like he might be an option for the weekend series against the Braves.
“Obviously, we acquired him because we believe in his ability to get outs at any time in the game,” Hinch said. “The more the merrier for us. We can use his experience, we can use his unique delivery. He’s got a different angle and he’s got good stuff.
“All of that is really good but the health is the No. 1 priorty.”
Sewald, acquired at the trade deadline from Cleveland, has been shut down since July 11 with a shoulder strain.
“I feel healthy,” Sewald said. “That’s the most important part. Now it’s how well can you pitch. That’s a good problem to have. You go through that whether you are healthy or not. Pitching well, as my only focus, is nice.”
His last outing with Toledo Tuesday was laborious. He needed 22 pitches to get through four batters. He threw just 12 strikes. Thirty-five-year-old veteran Billy Hamilton stole two bases off him.
“It can always be better, but I’ve had it worse,” Sewald said when asked about his stuff. “Every day you work on your mechanics and your stuff and try to be better.”
Sewald, mostly, is just ready to compete.
“The last time I was traded, they were excited to have me and I got to make an immediate impact,” he said. “This has been very strange. Everyone has been very nice to me and tried to make me feel part of the team. But if you aren’t playing, it’s very strange.
“I’m looking forward to being out there as quick as I can.”
Right-handed reliever Kyle Finnegan swapped places with Sewald in the Mud Hens’ bullpen. Finnegan, out since Sept. 1 with an adductor strain, is scheduled to make a rehab appearance Thursday. Finnegan, too, could be activated for the Braves series.
Guardians at Tigers
First pitch: 1:10 p.m. Thursday, Comerica Park
TV/Radio: FanDuel Sports/97.1
SCOUTING REPORTS
RHP Tanner Bibee (10-11, 4.44), Guardians: This will be the 30th start for the Guardians’ workhorse and, after a bumpy stretch in August, he’s regained traction in September. He’s coming off a brilliant complete-game, two-hit shutout of the White Sox. He struck out 10 with no walks. He gets a lot of swing and miss mixing cutters (30% whiff), sweepers (31%) and changeups (38%) off 94-mph four-seamers and sinkers.
LHP Tarik Skubal (13-5, 2.26), Tigers: He left his last start in Miami in the fourth inning with tightness in his upper rib cage, which tests and a successful bullpen session showed to be nothing structural or seemingly serious. He pronounced himself good to go on Tuesday. With two regular-season starts left after this one, he continues to be the frontrunner to win a second straight Cy Young Award.
@cmccosky