Emmanuel De Jesus dominated Blue Jays hitters, showcasing a potent five-pitch mix with dazzling swing-and-miss stuff. A minor league gem for Detroit?
The Detroit Tigers and Toronto Blue Jays played to a 4-4 draw on Sunday afternoon at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium.
Skubal’s Final Tune-Up Before the WBC
Before the bullpen took center stage, Sunday served as Tarik Skubal’s final start in a Tigers uniform before he departs for the World Baseball Classic. The reigning Cy Young Award winner worked his scheduled outing before handing the ball off, and now heads into international competition. Skubal has said he expects to make a start, as he rests up for the season.
De Jesus by the Numbers
The numbers paint a picture of a pitcher who was simply locked in. De Jesus threw 48 total pitches across his outing, generating 23 strikes against just 12 balls. Of those 23 strikes, 14 were swinging strikes, a staggering rate that speaks to the life and deception on his arsenal. Batters made contact on just 13 of his pitches, and when they did connect, the results were largely harmless: 9 foul balls, 2 hit outs, and only 2 base hits surrendered.
De Jesus worked with a five-pitch mix that gave Blue Jays hitters fits all afternoon — a changeup, cutter, four-seam fastball, sinker, and slider. That kind of pitch variety, combined with the ability to command multiple offerings for strikes, is exactly what the Tigers need in the back of their bullpen. The called strike column alone (9 on the day) underscores that hitters weren’t just missing his pitches, they were getting beaten even when they chose to take.
It is worth noting, for context, that Toronto was running out a lineup heavily populated by their own minor leaguers by the time De Jesus was working.
A Minor League Deal Worth Watching
Detroit signed De Jesus to a minor league contract this winter, one of dozens of arms the Tigers brought in.
De Jesus has started in the past so more than likely, he will be a starter or a swingman for Toledo.
The Bigger Picture: A Tale of Two Halves
The game itself offered an entertaining back-and-forth that typifies the chaos of Grapefruit League baseball. The Blue Jays jumped out to a 2-0 advantage in the third inning on a Jonatan Clase two-run double, and things looked comfortable for Toronto before Detroit’s lineup began to find its footing. The Tigers clawed back to tie it at 2-2 in the fourth, using a Riley Greene RBI double and a Spencer Torkelson RBI single to even the score.
Toronto answered in the sixth with a two-run frame highlighted by a Jesus Sanchez RBI single and a sacrifice groundout that made it 4-2 Blue Jays. Detroit’s bullpen allowed the deficit to narrow, and the Tigers mounted a late rally in the eighth, capped by an Eduardo Valencia sacrifice fly that just missed being a grand slam to pull even at 4-4, where the game ultimately ended. It was the third tie of the spring for the Tigers.
Notables
Trei Cruz provided one of the more quietly impressive moments of the afternoon, ripping a single in the ninth inning off the bat at 100.7 mph.
Both Max Clark and Max Anderson flied out in the 9th but had some lengthy at-bats.
As reported by Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press (Freep.com), MLBPA interim executive director Bruce Meyer stated that a lockout is “almost guaranteed” from MLB upon the December 1 expiration of the current collective bargaining agreement.
Up next: The Tigers host the Atlanta Braves tomorrow, Monday, March 2, with first pitch scheduled for 1:05 p.m. ET back at Joker Marchant Stadium.
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