Detroit Tigers: The most encouraging stat for each starting pitcher

Spencer Turnbull: Zero Hits on 5/18/21

For Turnbull, this isn’t some Chris Heston/Philip Humber moment. It’s a culmination of the stuff he has flashed throughout his big league career thus far coming to fruition at the highest level. The no-hitter is not only a metaphor and mark to the improvement Turnbull has shown, though. It is a signal that the team has actual, coveted MLB assets worth hanging onto or flipping for the right haul.

We have argued the case against trading someone like Turnbull at the deadline, but one must wonder if Avila and Co. realized they actually missed the boat on Michael Fulmer and Matthew Boyd and decide to cash in on one of the more volatile assets in the game. Regardless, his no-hitter raises his status as a starter and caused the entire baseball community to shift their attention late Tuesday night.

RHP Jose Urena: Four Outings of 7+ IP

Die-hards have spoken about the luck of Jose Urena for some time now. It may be catching up to him some with a 5.14 ERA in May so far, but he has done a swift job of doing exactly what he was brought in for: eat innings.

Admittedly, I was on board with Urena pitching out the bullpen. Still, he would be an absolute weapon against right-handed hitters, where they are hitting just .167 off of his slider this season. But with the injury to Julio Teheran, the Detroit Tigers do not have such flexibilities, unfortunately.

Not only does a pitcher going deep into a game speak to their own effectiveness on the mound, but it also limits exposure to the bullpen; one that is not as deep as it once appeared on paper. Even with a couple of rocky starts in between, Urena giving his club 6-7 innings every second or third start is a massive lift necessary to account for all the innings needed in a full season.