Detroit Tigers first half report cards

Starting Pitching: C+

It's very hard to grade the starting pitching since there's been so many injuries. If Reese Olson ends up hitting the IL before this article comes out, that could be eight starters on the IL. Just absurd.

However, the results of the starting rotation, despite the all the injuries, have been halfway decent. Michael Lorzenzen has been a nice, cheap find in free agency. E-rod was outstanding before he got hurt. Reese Olson and Alex Faedo showed flashes before they, too, got hurt.

Matthew Boyd and Spencer Turnbull were pretty disappointing before their respective injuries. But if there is one thing that's been shared in commone between every starter except E-rod, it's that they haven't gone deep enough into games.

There have been way too many 4-5 inning or less starts from Tigers starters this year. Due in part to that, the bullpen is taxed. The injuries haven't helped, but the fewer innings the starters go, the more stress it puts on the bullpen, and we are starting to see that.

Because of that, I have to knock down their grade. The 4.85 starter ERA — 25th in the league — also brings that down. With several starters set to return after the All-Star break, we'll look to see more out of the rotation in the second half of the season.