Tigers Will Attempt to Fill Void Left by JaCoby Jones
You'll be hard-pressed to find a more disappointing 12-1 victory on the schedule when the 2020 season is all said and done. An eighth-inning 92 mph fastball that rode up and in on JaCoby Jones' now fractured left hand tempered all of Detroit's postgame celebrations.
The Tigers held a 6-1 lead with nobody out in the eighth inning and a runner on first when head athletic trainer Doug Teter swiftly emerged from the dugout to examine the discolored left hand of a frustrated Jones. All of a sudden, the score was no longer on anyone's mind.
"When I walked out there, (his hand) was not a pretty sight," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "It was a lot of different colors."
Gardenhire had a similar look of concern last August when he walked out of the dugout in the second inning of a contest with the Royals while Jones was gripping his left wrist to alleviate the pain.
Tuesday's fracture marks the second consecutive summer that JaCoby Jones' season has ended prematurely after getting hit by a pitch. Last season--the unfortunate news came at a time when Jones had discovered a groove--hitting .291 in July before the August injury.
Last night, Jones accounted for two of the Tigers' 14 hits on a lucrative 12-run summer night at Miller Park in Milwaukee. The 28-year old centerfielder proved to be a revelation in the early stages of what's turned out to be a surprisingly successful season for Detroit. The Tigers (17-16) are currently sitting above .500 in September for the first time since 2016.
"I feel bad for JaCoby, Gardenhire said. "He was making strides and becoming a pretty good player and now we lose him. He'll rebound from this. It's just going to be a bummer for him."
The right-hander made adjustments to his swing last season that proved to be advantageous and then carried the same confidence into 2020. Through the first 10 games of the season, Jones hit .379 with a .419 OBP and a .793 slugging percentage.
His mentality entering Tuesday night centered around a playoff push.
"We're close, we're in striking distance to first place and to a wild-card spot, this month is going to be huge," Jones said. "Every pitch counts. Everything matters. I've been waiting for this for three years. It's going to be a lot of fun."
As agonizing as it may be to read that quote, knowing Jones won't be able to participate--the Tigers will aim to personify that same mentality down the stretch. Detroit currently holds the longest winning streak in baseball (6) and will attempt to win a fourth consecutive series tonight in Milwaukee.
"The team is united," said outfielder Victor Reyes. "We're all together and we want to win. We're motivated and everybody is trying to do their part on the field. It was very bad news for the team to lose Jacoby. He gives defense. He gives offense."
The Tigers will slide Victor Reyes from right field to center field to fill the defensive void left by Jones. Center fielder and former first-round pick Derek Hill has also received a call up in response to Jones' injury. Hill, widely regarded as one of the finest defensive center fielders in the organization, will soon make his major league debut.
