{"id":23390,"date":"2025-05-13T09:53:12","date_gmt":"2025-05-13T09:53:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/23390\/"},"modified":"2025-05-13T09:53:12","modified_gmt":"2025-05-13T09:53:12","slug":"a-j-hinch-credits-depth-effort-in-detroit-tigers-surge-during-press-conference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/23390\/","title":{"rendered":"A.J. Hinch credits depth, effort in Detroit Tigers\u2019 surge during press conference"},"content":{"rendered":"

DETROIT \u2013 The Detroit Tigers<\/a> are rolling as they sit atop the American League after dismantling the visiting Boston Red Sox 14-2 to snap a two-game losing streak.<\/p>\n

Jackson Jobe<\/a> took the mound on Monday (May 12) night. He threw 100 pitches, 61 of which were called strikes, while giving up three hits, five walks, seven strikeouts, and one run in 5.2 innings.<\/p>\n

He got plenty of help from the Tigers\u2019 bats as they jumped out to an 11-1 lead after rocking Red Sox pitcher Tanner Houck for two runs in the first inning, followed by a nine-run third.<\/p>\n

In just 2.1 innings, Houch gave up nine hits and two home runs before getting subbed for Sean Newcomb, who gave up seven hits for two runs as the lead jumped out to 14-1 at the bottom of the seventh inning, which included an inside-the-park home run.<\/p>\n

The Tigers were coming off a two-game losing streak, losing the three-game series against the Texas Rangers 2-1.<\/p>\n

Prior to the Rangers series, Detroit was riding hot, having won seven of their previous ten games. Manager A.J. Hinch<\/a> talked about roster updates and player performances prior to the Red Sox game.<\/p>\n

Coach discusses roster updates and player performance<\/p>\n

Hinch expressed excitement about the return of right fielder Wenceel Perez<\/a>, who suffered a back injury that placed him on the 60-day injured list.<\/p>\n

He said the right fielder has been working hard to prepare for his time in the big leagues. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt was awesome to see him and Parker (Meadows)<\/a> both, but specifically Wensel. <\/p>\n

We brought him up here to get the final check off of what he\u2019s been doing, and he\u2019s been working really hard. <\/p>\n

We\u2019ve been in touch with his program and everything he\u2019s doing, but it\u2019s just a little different when you come to the big leagues and check in with the staff and the players and coaches. <\/p>\n

So it\u2019s exciting to see him moving around with freedom and no issues and no problems.\u201d<\/p>\n

Detroit Tigers Manager A.J. Hinch<\/p>\n

Perez, who suffered lumbar spine inflammation, received two cortisone injections as he is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with High-A West Michigan on Thursday, May 15.<\/p>\n

\u201cI mean, now, obviously, we were leaving on Wednesday night, we\u2019re off on Thursday, so we\u2019ll have to make some decisions at that point. That would be perfect. He\u2019s got some tests to pass before we can put that plan in motion, but that\u2019d be ideal,\u201d Hinch said.<\/p>\n

Upcoming decisions on player lineup<\/p>\n

Hinch indicated that decisions regarding the roster would be made soon, particularly as the team prepares for a trip to Canada when they take on the Toronto Blue Jays. <\/p>\n

He acknowledged the challenges of managing the roster, especially with a series of right-handed pitchers ahead. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe have the roster configuration to handle lefties or righties,\u201d Hinch said, but noted the importance of managing player fatigue.,<\/p>\n

\u201cThese games here, there are two things that come up. One is getting Andy (Ibanez)<\/a> and Jay Hen (Justyn-Henry Malloy<\/a>), you know, a little bit more in the mix. If they bring a lefty in, I can pinch-hit if I want. But they don\u2019t get many at-bats,” Hinch said. <\/p>\n

Managing player fatigue and lineup consistency<\/p>\n

Hinch addressed concerns about player fatigue, particularly for key players like Trey Sweeney<\/a>, Riley Greene<\/a>, and Kerry Carpenter<\/a>, who have been playing every game. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe want them in the lineup as much as possible, but there\u2019s no natural break for them,\u201d Hinch said. <\/p>\n

Hinch emphasized the need to avoid running players\u2019 gas tanks completely empty, which can lead to slumps. <\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s really the issue with facing 20 out of 22 right-handed pitchers,\u201d Hinch said.<\/p>\n

Keider Montero\u2019s return and role in the lineup<\/p>\n

Regarding Keider Montero<\/a>\u2018s return, Hinch confirmed he would be active for the upcoming game but may not start.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe may have spent more days in the big leagues than anywhere else,\u201d Hinch said, highlighting the importance of acclimation. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe may have spent more days in the big leagues, either on acclamation days or start days, than anywhere else. But he will be active tomorrow. <\/p>\n

He may or may not start. We may open for him. We might start him. <\/p>\n

I\u2019ll be able to announce that after the game tonight, but it\u2019s so nice to have Keider available and able to handle this role of uncertainty. <\/p>\n

You know, he deserves every opportunity that we have, and we\u2019ve literally given him, you know, every opportunity that we do have in the rotation. <\/p>\n

So when we say goodbye a couple of days later, we say hello again, and you know, we\u2019ll see where it leads us, hopefully to a win.\u201d<\/p>\n

Detroit Tigers Manager A.J. Hinch<\/p>\n

Hinch expressed confidence in Montero\u2019s ability to handle the uncertainty of his role, stating, \u201cHe deserves every opportunity that we have.\u201d<\/p>\n

Avoiding losing streaks through focus<\/p>\n

When asked about the team\u2019s ability to avoid three-game losing streaks, which they did with boat racing the Red Sox, Hinch emphasized the importance of focusing on the present. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe see it as one game,\u201d Hinch said, explaining that the team operates with a mindset centered on the next opponent. \u201cWe don\u2019t reflect; we just get to the next game,\u201d he added, acknowledging that winning and losing streaks are part of the season.<\/p>\n

Impressions of the upcoming opponent<\/p>\n

The coach shared his thoughts on the opposing team, describing them as a very talented and energetic group. \u201cThey create a lot of havoc because they\u2019ve got speed, power, and balance,\u201d he noted. He emphasized the need for the Tigers to play clean baseball, stating, \u201cYou got to play well; you got to play clean.\u201d<\/p>\n

Understanding fan reactions to Bregman<\/p>\n

Addressing the anticipation that fans might boo Bregman, Hinch acknowledged the emotional attachment fans have to public conversations. <\/p>\n

\u201cI get it,\u201d Hinch said, recognizing that Bregman has faced similar reactions in other ballparks. \u201cIt won\u2019t bother him, but our fans will support the Tigers as they should.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bregman was booed heavily during his first plate appearance in the top of the first inning.<\/p>\n

He was close to signing with the Tigers during the offseason but decided to sign with the Red Sox before popping out to center field.<\/p>\n

Cora\u2019s creative managing style<\/p>\n

Hinch praised Alex Cora\u2019s managing style, noting that he often puts pressure on opponents. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe will do a lot of things to try to put pressure on you,\u201d Hinch said. <\/p>\n

He highlighted Cora\u2019s willingness to be aggressive with bullpen moves and his adaptability during games. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s just trying to win the game,\u201d Hinch said, emphasizing the importance of a proactive approach.<\/p>\n

Insights on young player development<\/p>\n

In discussing second basemen, Jace Jung<\/a>, Hinch admired his mentality and potential. <\/p>\n

\u201cI love him as a player,\u201d Hinch said, acknowledging young players\u2019 challenges. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe prove-it mentality can create another hill to climb,\u201d Hinch noted, emphasizing the importance of balancing competitiveness and composure. <\/p>\n

He encouraged Jung to focus on using his energy positively during games.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo it\u2019s easy on the outside to say, hey, \u2018Just take a deep breath and relax.\u2019<\/p>\n

See the ball, hit the ball, make the plays at third, he\u2019s played a pretty good third base, but I think it\u2019s all growing pains for him, trying to settle in at a level that he hasn\u2019t conquered yet. <\/p>\n

And you know, I know it\u2019s hard on a team when you\u2019re in the lineup, out of the lineup, he\u2019s actually gotten a pretty decent runway recently, and I told him today when we met, I said, \u2018Well, you have a chance to help us win tonight off the bench. Tomorrow, you\u2019re going to face (Brayan) Bello, and you know, we expect you to sort of find that edge and use that energy towards the competition.\u2019 <\/p>\n

So young players, you know, they often want to do everything every at bat and his work, he\u2019s going to work and he\u2019s going to continue to try to make some adjustments, to address some of the things that they\u2019re doing against him at this level.\u201d<\/p>\n

Detroit Tigers Manager A.J. Hinch<\/p>\n

The Tigers got key contributions from Gleyber Torres<\/a>, Colt Keith<\/a>, Zach McKinstry<\/a>, Sweeney, and Carpenter. Basically, the whole team throttled the Red Sox on Monday night.<\/p>\n

The victory snapped a two-game skid while improving to 27-15 to remain in first place in the early stages of the season.<\/p>\n

Taking the mound on Tuesday will be Bello for the Red Sox, while Tyler Holton<\/a> will look to keep the good times rolling.<\/p>\n

First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. inside Comerica Park.<\/p>\n

Copyright 2025 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"DETROIT \u2013 The Detroit Tigers are rolling as they sit atop the American League after dismantling the visiting…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":23391,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2386],"tags":[2082,3806,5,1964,147,53,2583,10128,95,713,1329,6250,7213,6671,391,4,1402,624,594,1957,10129,398],"class_list":{"0":"post-23390","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-detroit-tigers","8":"tag-a-j-hinch","9":"tag-andy-ibanez","10":"tag-baseball","11":"tag-colt-keith","12":"tag-detroit","13":"tag-detroit-tigers","14":"tag-detroittigers","15":"tag-detrooit-tigers","16":"tag-gleyber-torres","17":"tag-jackson-jobe","18":"tag-javier-baez","19":"tag-javy-baez","20":"tag-justyn-henry-malloy","21":"tag-keider-montero","22":"tag-kerry-carpenter","23":"tag-mlb","24":"tag-parker-meadows","25":"tag-riley-greene","26":"tag-tigers","27":"tag-trey-sweeney","28":"tag-wenceel-perez","29":"tag-zach-mckinstry"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@mlb\/114499918715112346","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23390","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23390"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23390\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23391"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23390"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23390"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23390"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}