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Detroit Tigers’ Spencer Turnbull one of team’s most reliable pitchers

By Joseph Wooley

PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 30: Starting pitcher Spencer Turnbull #56 of the Detroit Tigers throws a pitch in the first inning during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on April 30, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 30: Starting pitcher Spencer Turnbull #56 of the Detroit Tigers throws a pitch in the first inning during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on April 30, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) /
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Thirty games into the season, the Detroit Tigers have started 2019 hovering at or just below .500. This mark is at least as good, if not better than anyone could have expected. Since the team is not scoring an abundance of runs, they are relying on pitching to win games. The situation could be much worse.

Two months ago, starting pitchers were up in the air for the Detroit Tigers. The speculated rotation was very different from the actuality today. Michael Fulmer was still pre-injury. Daniel Norris was still between a starting job and a relieving one. Besides ace, Jordan Zimmermann, and Matt Boyd, other potential starters were unknown quantities or newcomers to Detroit. One such young pitcher was rookie, Spencer Turnbull, who has become an anchor of the rotation. No one could have predicted his reliability.

Spencer Turnbull is one of the youngest pitchers on staff. At 26, Daniel Norris is the only younger pitcher to record a start this season (and even he has far more experience in the Tigers organization). Right-handed Turnbull appeared in four games in the closing three weeks of last season. It was not a spectacular run, though, as he allowed eleven runs in sixteen innings. This season has been a marked improvement.

Drafted by the Tigers in 2014, Spencer Turnbull qualified for the main roster this year with a steady spring training. He allowed only three runs in five games and struck out a batter per inning. While still considered a long reliever at the time, he took the opportunity to start and filled the role heading into the regular season.

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So far, he has held teams roughly to three runs per outing and collected two wins for his effort. For a Tigers team that has struggled to score runs, the smaller deficit to overcome the better in short, when Turnbull takes the mound he gives the Tigers an excellent chance to win. That same confidence could not be had last year.

What has changed from last year? Turnbull has relied more on his fastball this year and less on the sinker. He has also seen better movement out of his other breaking balls. This has lead to more swings, more misses, and fewer balls in play. Through six games, Turnbull has posted an improved strikeout to walk ratio, as well.

Anthony Fenech at the Free Press recently called Turnbull “effectively wild,” a highly apt description. He leads the team in walks (13), hit-by-pitch (5), and shares a lead for wild pitches (3). At the same time, he is 2-2 with the best ERA of active starters. He is doing a solid job stranding the many runners who get on base. His next outing will likely be today, where he will face a last-place Kansas City squad and look for a winning record.

Greene first Tiger to win reliever of the month. dark. Next

The cold, early part of every baseball season is usually defined by pitching. Now that the calendar has turned to May, bats should start to come more alive. For the Detroit Tigers to keep winning games, it will be up to young pitchers like Turnbull to keep opponents quiet.

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