Tigers Place Brant Hurter on Injured List Ahead of Orioles Doubleheader

The Detroit Tigers will likely make several moves during Sunday’s doubleheader, and this is one that was expected.

Detroit Tigers pitcher Brant Hurter. | William Purnell-Imagn Images

The Detroit Tigers made the first what should be several moves during Sunday’s doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles.

The Tigers announced that they placed left-handed pitcher Brant Hurter on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to Saturday, with lumbar spine inflammation. To take his place on the 26-man roster, Detroit added right-handed pitcher Ricky Vanasco from Triple-A Toledo.

Also, because Sunday is a doubleheader, the Tigers are allowed to call up a 27th player to give them additional depth. Detroit called up left-handed pitcher Drew Sommers.

Tigers Moves Explained

Detroit Tigers pitcher Ricky Vanasco. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With Saturday’s rainout prompting a doubleheader, the Tigers were doing to need more arms in the bullpen. They could not afford to give Hurter another day to recuperate, even with an off day coming on Monday.

Hurter has been solid for Detroit out of the bullpen. He is 4-1 with a 2.84 ERA in 21 appearances, with 18 strikeouts and 12 walks in 25.1 innings. He also has a hold. Batters are hitting a career-low .174 against him.

Vanasco has pitched in four games with Detroit this season and his 0-1 with a 14.54 ERA. He has allowed 10 hits and seven earned runs in 4.1 innings. He last pitched for Detroit on May 4 against Boston, when he gave up three hits and four earned runs in 0.2 innings and took the loss.

Framber Valdez was the expected starting pitcher for Detroit in Sunday’s first game with the Orioles prepared to start Brandon Young. That was the expected pitching matchup on Saturday.

The second game is where things could get interesting for Detroit. The Tigers don’t have a probable pitcher set for Game 2, but the likely choice is Troy Melton, whom manager A.J. Hinch declared ready from his rehab for right elbow inflammation.

Melton was not placed on the roster for Game 1. He’s on the 60-day injured list so he doesn’t count against the Tigers’ 40-man roster. But, to start him, Detroit will have to activate him in between Game 1 and Game 2. That will require some tricky maneuvering.

Melton must be moved to the 40-man roster so that requires the Tigers to either designated another player for assignment, thus exposing them to waivers, or putting an injured player on the 60-day IL. Then, the Tigers must place him on the 26-man roster, which could require another move as it’s likely Detroit won’t DFA a player on its current 26-man roster.