Ryan Perry TRACKER

Perry's rise puts him in line for coveted spot
Tigers considering right-hander to be Valverde's setup man

By Jason Beck / MLB.com

03/12/10 5:41 PM EST

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Ryan Perry has been working on a tattoo on his gifted right arm since his days at the University of Arizona. It's a collection of different designs and interests in his life. Every time he returns home, Perry has a little more work done and adds a little more to it. It's just about finished, he said, but there's still some room to add.

The pitches in that gifted right arm are progressing a lot quicker than the ink on it.

Much like Perry's Spring Training and regular-season roommate, Rick Porcello, Perry has blossomed from a talented but untested young hurler to a key cog on the Tigers' staff. A year after he was a surprise pick to make the bullpen at the end of camp, Perry has the chance to grab one of the most coveted jobs, a setup role behind one of the top closers in the game.

It's a huge jump, but it's a testament to how different Perry really looks from one year to the next. Everything about the 23-year-old's game seems to be more polished, from the consistency on his biting slider to the spots where he locates his fastball to the temperament he carries with him on the mound.

"I'm feeling more comfortable than I ever have out there right now," Perry said after his last outing, a perfect inning with two strikeouts against the Nationals on Tuesday.

After yet another scoreless inning, Perry has every reason to feel a comfort zone. He's the lone pitcher left in camp who has yet to allow a hit or a walk in a game, a streak at 3 2/3 innings entering his scheduled appearance on Saturday against the Mets on MLB.TV at 1:05 p.m. ET. He escaped a bases-loaded jam against the Blue Jays in his first outing of the spring with a double play, and has rolled from there.

And with seventh- and eighth-inning duties wide open behind closer Jose Valverde, Perry's performances are raising eyebrows.

"We took a shot last year with him, and there were some growing pains," manager Jim Leyland said. "But I think it's paying dividends this year, because it looks like he got a feel for what it's like up here last year and he knows he's got to make some improvements. Right now, he's on a pretty good mission."

The shot wasn't quite the same as the one the Tigers took with Porcello, but it nonetheless involved a leap of faith. By the time the Tigers broke camp last spring, they had determined he was one of the seven-best relievers in terms of talent, despite the age and the fact that he was drafted just the previous summer. With a number of more proven arms, the Tigers felt they could pick and choose their spots with Perry to give him the best chance to succeed and learn.

"Last year, I came in not even thinking I was going to make the team," Perry said, "but you just want to put that impression in their heads for later on. Just one thing led to another."

Perry battled his command at times and battled his adrenaline frequently, but he battled the opponent, too.

Though opponents hit him for a higher batting average and slugging percentage after the All-Star break, his ERA dropped by nearly a full run. More importantly, his ratio of strikeouts to walks improvement dramatically to better than 2:1.

He went home for the offseason, worked on his game and came to camp a month ahead of time looking to get in early work and improve on some key points. One of those was poise, and it's a dramatic difference in his game. Instead of thriving on a high-energy approach, Perry looks and feels more focused and more consistent in his mechanics.

"I think I'm learning more how to keep my body and everything just centered," he said, "how to keep one focus instead of having 20 different things running through my head. Instead of trying to do this and this, it's just I have one goal."

If he needed any more focus, Leyland helped with a talk early in camp.

"I talked to him earlier in camp about this being a big spring for him to move forward," Leyland said. "He's taken it very well. I'm talking about the ability to be more consistent with your slider, the ability to make the tough pitches, the ability to throw a quality strike as opposed to just a strike. "

Those include the slider, but also his fastball.

"I'm getting to the point where I feel I can actually hit spots instead of just throwing it to the strike zone," Perry said. "I feel like I could split the plate in half and kind of go to halves now. I know I still have some work to do, but I definitely have seen a huge increase from last year. Honestly, I would get the ball and throw for the strike zone."

He's also working on a changeup that he has had since college but rarely ever used. It hasn't become a game pitch yet, but with a little refinement, it could eventually become a third pitch in what's otherwise a power arsenal.

On talent alone, the Tigers thought enough of Perry to consider him a closing candidate before they signed Valverde. They probably won't hesitate to try him in some setup work if they decide he's one of their better relievers for it.

"I'm not letting any of that get to me," Perry said. "I'm just letting my performance in Spring Training dictate what they want to do with me over the course of the season."

Still, he isn't going to hide his enthusiasm for it.

"I definitely love getting the ball," Perry said. "I think of myself as a competitor, and I want to go out and get the ball whenever I can. Definitely, the closer the game, the more intense it becomes. That's kind of where I like to be used, not necessarily where I'm going to be used, but definitely in the near future, that's definitely what I want to work for, to set up or close for sure."

That future might be nearer than previously thought.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Perry relishes first big league save
BECK'S BLOG
Posted on April 10, 2010 at 6:35 PM

Ryan Perry has always been a pitcher running on adrenaline, no matter what the inning. When he made the Tigers roster out of Spring Training a year ago, he had to learn how to handle that even in lower-pressure outings, let alone spots where he was protecting a lead.

One can imagine, then, how Perry would react to his chance at his first Major League save. The fact that all that energy didn't make him a wreck on the mound should give an idea how much he worked on controlling that adrenaline.

"Perry's always amped up for everything," catcher Alex Avila said. "I knew he was going to be, and he'd be throwing hard. This year, I've seen that every time he comes out, he has a little bit of a different presence on the mound. Where last year he might've been a little bit wild at some points, this year he's always in control.

"Like today, his first save opportunity, most guys would be overthrowing and stuff like that, but he was just letting it fly and he threw fantastic. I mean, his stuff was pretty unhittable today. I wouldn't have wanted to face him, that's for sure."

No many guys had the chance. Though he ended up coming on in the eighth to try to get a four-out save, it was a four-up, four-down outing in which nobody made solid contact off of him.

Perry got the chance because closer Jose Valverde, Joel Zumaya and Phil Coke were all being rested. All of them pitched Friday's home opener. Zumaya and Coke pitched multiple innings. Valverde had pitched in each of the Tigers' first four games, including three straight days, so he had to rest.

That reduced Saturday's available to Perry, Fu-Te Ni, Brad Thomas and Eddie Bonine. Leyland said in the morning that Perry would close if there was a game to save.

"When we took a 2-0 lead, the whole time I was just excited and ready to get out there," Perry said.

Leyland didn't say Perry would close in the eighth, but once Ni struck out Travis Hafner for the second out of the inning, Leyland likely didn't want to chance Ni facing a right-handed hitter after giving up a .298 average to them last year.

Enter Perry, who struck out Peralta on a nasty slider, then had to sit through the bottom of the eighth until the Tigers went down in order. It would've been a perfect time for that energy to overtake him, but all the time, he said he was focused on mechanical points and the opponent.

"Mentally, I was sitting in the dugout trying to visualize it as best as I can," Perry said. "That's kind of been a big thing for me lately. Since probably halfway through spring, I've really been trying to focus, kind of get a visual picture of what I'm trying to do in my head, and then do it."

That doesn't mean he was completely calm.

"Especially coming in in the eighth, my heart's pounding a little," he admitted. "But I think my confidence has just grown since last year, so I'm able to control it, keep my body in position to succeed instead of just sporadically trying to just throw the ball."

Perry used a 97 mph fastball to get a leadoff groundout from Matt Laporta. He had to scramble when Mark Grudzielanek hit a comebacker, but he hurried a throw that first baseman Miguel Cabrera stretched to grab.

That left Perry one out away, and brought the crowd of 35,332 to its feet. That's when the energy really picked up.

"Two outs in the ninth, you just hear the roar of the crowd," he said. "I looked up and you see everybody get up out of their seats. That was kind of a moment that you never really forget."

The extra adrenaline boosted Perry's fastball up to 98 mph on pinch-hitter Luis Valbuena, who fell into an 0-2 hole before meekly popping out in foul territory on the third-base side.

The celebration was a matter of style. Instead of something animated, Perry looked almost relieved, and shook some hands. He also got the game ball, which he stashed in his locker.

"That's one ball I'll definitely keep," he said.

It was his first save, but he's certainly hoping it isn't his last.

"That's definitely what I would like to work towards, for sure," Perry said. "That would definitely be a dream come true. But I know there's still some work involved, so I'm just trying to get there."

Inge recovers Perry's memento
Game ball from reliever's first save takes long journey to locker

By Jason Beck / MLB.com

04/11/10 2:01 PM ET

DETROIT -- Ryan Perry has the game ball from his first Major League save sitting in his locker in the Tigers' clubhouse. But it took quite a journey to get there. The end of Saturday's 4-2 win over the Indians was merely the start of it.

It began when Brandon Inge ran down Luis Valbuena's popup behind the Detroit dugout for the game's final out. As the crowd of more than 35,000 roared and Perry received congratulations, Inge let his momentum continue toward the third-base stands, where he tried to give the ball to a young fan.

Much to Inge's shock, the kid waved him off.

"No, no, I already have one," Inge recalled the boy saying.

The look of surprise on Inge's face could be seen on the telecast before the camera panned away.

"Most impressive kid I've ever seen in my life," Inge said. "That's an honest kid right there."

Inge found another young fan nearby who hadn't gotten a ball yet, and gave it to her. Then he headed back to the middle of the diamond, where the Tigers were still slapping hands --including Perry.

"As I'm high-fiving him," Inge said, "he said, 'Hey, got that ball?'"

That was the first time Inge realized it was Perry's first big league save. Perry had been around for most of last season, so Inge thought he had a save by now.

"Come on," Inge said, "I don't keep up with my own stats."

That was also the moment he realized he'd better scramble if he had any chance of getting that ball back.

Inge went back to where he gave up the ball and found the child. It took some explaining, but he worked out a swap. Inge got the ball back, and the kid received an autographed cracked bat Inge had from Opening Day.

It worked out well in the end, but despite his embarrassment, Inge still had some fun with it. He initially put a sponge ball in Perry's locker with an autograph and the date of the game.

"I'm going to tell Perry, 'This kid didn't even want your ball,'" Inge joked.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Perry gets backing from Leyland

By Samuel Zuba / MLB.com

06/05/10 7:45 PM ET

KANSAS CITY -- After giving up two earned runs on three hits in less than an inning of work Friday night, reliever Ryan Perry had a chat with manager Jim Leyland.

"I had a nice talk with him today," Leyland said. "But we have to get him going. I told him, 'You're a big league pitcher and you gotta pitch with that confidence.'"

Perry, who was drafted in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft, has been rather erratic this season for the Tigers. In his last five outings, Perry is 0-2 with a 20.25 ERA (four innings pitched with nine earned runs.)

Leyland said he will give Perry time to get it together, but if he can't, Perry might spend some time in the Minors.

"I'm going to stay with him for awhile," Leyland said. "I think he's a very credible Major League pitcher, [but] if things, at some point, don't get worked out, then you go down [to the Minor Leagues] and work them out."

Leyland added he believes in Perry and he isn't trying to scare him into pitching better.

"There's no secret about it and that's not meant to put any pressure on anybody," Leyland said. "Those are just the facts. He's got to get it going, he's a big part of our ballclub. ... I have confidence in him and I'm going to see if we can't iron out these problems up here."

Perry placed on DL; Gonzalez called up
Reliever suffering from right biceps tendinitis

By Jason Beck / MLB.com

06/10/10 12:24 AM ET

CHICAGO -- The Tigers lost another reliever to the disabled list Wednesday night, placing Ryan Perry on the 15-day DL with right biceps tendinitis. Detroit purchased the contract of right-hander Enrique Gonzalez from Triple-A Toledo to take his place.

The injury is not expected to be a serious one, not by Tigers officials, but it explains a lot about the recent struggles of Perry. The second-year right-hander opened the year setting up closer Jose Valverde, but gave up nine runs on 10 hits in just three innings over his last five outings.

Manager Jim Leyland said he began to suspect some sort of injury was the culprit, but kept hearing from Perry that he was fine. Not until "really recently," Leyland said, did Perry admit to being hurt.

"His control has not been good," Leyland said. "And normally when you see a guy that had real good control early in the season all of a sudden kind of lost that control, there's usually a red flag there. There's usually a message there that something's not quite right."

Perry visited team physician Dr. Stephen Lemos in Detroit for an MRI exam on Monday, according to head athletic trainer Kevin Rand. The results showed a mild impingement around the back of his rotator cuff and some mild tendinitis around his biceps.

Perry tried to throw a bullpen session Wednesday afternoon. Had he come through that OK, he might've been available out of the bullpen Wednesday night.

However, Rand said, "He felt it on a few of his throws."

That's when they made the decision to shelve him and put him on a medication program.

"I don't really think this is anything long or serious, I really don't," Leyland said. "But at the same time, you have a red flag when you see the control."

Leyland does not believe this puts any extra pressure on any particular reliever. He did say earlier Wednesday, however, that he plans on using Joel Zumaya in shorter outings, usually one inning or less, in hopes of having him available more often.

That said, he doesn't expect this to be a long-term loss.

"I don't really think it's anything to fret about, I really don't," Leyland said. "I don't think it's anything serious at all. It's just matter of taking care of it, getting it quieted down, going back out and pitching a little bit, and hopefully coming right back here."

Gonzalez made an impression on the Tigers' staff with a strong Spring Training, but has spent the season in the Mud Hens rotation. His performance there, though, earned him the recommendation from the Minor League staff ahead of others in the Hens' bullpen.

The 27-year-old Gonzalez, signed as a Minor League free agent last winter, owns a 4-5 record and 3.46 ERA in 11 starts, striking out 53 batters over 65 innings while giving up 68 hits. His last four starts, in particular, have been stellar: 27 2/3 innings, 19 hits, six earned runs and 23 strikeouts, including a complete-game shutout of Indianapolis May 23.

"I always use the guy they recommend, so that's the guy we take," Leyland said. "And he has been starting down there, so he should be able to give us some innings."

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Reliever Perry should be ready next week

By Alex DiFilippo / MLB.com

06/19/10 6:50 PM ET

DETROIT -- Relief pitcher Ryan Perry is on track to return to the Tigers on schedule.

Perry threw pain-free for the second time on Friday and said he's 90 to 95 percent after being put on the 15-day disabled list on June 9 with right bicep tendinitis. He will throw again on Sunday and travel with the team for the nine-game road trip, which kicks off Tuesday against the Mets. He would be eligible to be activated Thursday.

"I really feel like next week," Perry said when asked when he thought he'd return. "I feel great. I haven't felt any flair-ups or anything since it happened. I'm feeling great and I don't feel anything throwing. I have total movement and strength. I'm very confident that I'll be back soon."

Perry will throw for the first time from the mound on Sunday. Prior to the injury, Perry was 1-4 with a 5.82 ERA in 24 appearances. The second-year right-hander looked strong to start the season setting up closer Jose Valverde but gave up nine runs on 10 hits in just three innings over his last five outings before being placed on the DL.

"Hopefully, as long as everything feels good, I might just be put back on the roster from there," Perry said. "It's still up in the air. But overall, everything feels great. I'm looking forward to throwing off the mound finally."

Perry looks to start rehab assignment

By Jason Beck / MLB.com

06/22/10 7:42 PM ET

NEW YORK -- Ryan Perry appears to be on the verge of a Minor League rehab assignment after throwing a side session Tuesday afternoon with the Tigers at Citi Field.

It came on the day the young righty reliever would've been eligible to come off the disabled list, after going down with biceps tendinitis two weeks ago. Though both the Tigers and Perry expected it to be a short stint from the outset, there was also an expectation it could take some time in the Minors to get him back to pitching condition.

"We'll see where he stands and decide whether to send him out," manager Jim Leyland said Tuesday. "He had no pain the other day, throwing with full extension, so I assume he'll be going out shortly."

Perry indicated the mound session went well. To be sure, the Tigers will see how his shoulder feels Wednesday.

If Perry rehabs at Triple-A Toledo, he'll be back alongside his Major League roommate, Rick Porcello. He's scheduled to start for the Mud Hens on Thursday.

Perry sent on rehab assignment

By Jason Beck / MLB.com

06/25/10 7:43 PM ET

ATLANTA -- The Tigers sent reliever Ryan Perry to join Triple-A Toledo on the road Friday to begin a Minor League rehab assignment. If all goes well, it could be a quick stint.

Perry, on the 15-day disabled list for the past 2 1/2 weeks with bicipital tendinitis in his right shoulder, was cleared for game action after throwing one more mound session Thursday afternoon. He's scheduled to pitch one inning of relief for the Mud Hens on Saturday night at Indianapolis, then two innings Monday night.

After that, Tigers officials will evaluate him and decide what to do from there.

Both manager Jim Leyland and pitching coach Rick Knapp said there's no big-picture project for Perry while he's on assignment. In other words, he's simply there to build up his arm strength and face opposing hitters, not to work on anything mechanically. That, too, would suggest a short assignment.

Perry had been anticipating a rehab assignment all week.

"I just want to face some hitters," he said Wednesday.

Perry's rehab assignment was one of several moves the Tigers made Friday. They purchased the contract of left-hander Andy Oliver from Double-A Erie in time for his Major League debut Friday night against the Braves, and optioned reliever Jay Sborz back to Toledo to make room.

Detroit created an opening on the 40-man roster for Oliver by transferring Zach Miner from the 15-day to the 60-day disabled list.

Ni optioned to Toledo
BECK'S BLOG
Posted on June 30, 2010 at 4:49 PM

The much-pondered question of what the Tigers would do with Fu-Te Ni got an answer Wednesday afternoon, when he was optioned to Triple-A Toledo postgame. No return move was immediately announced, but the first candidate you probably thought of isn't the guy. Leyland said Ryan Perry would not be the guy coming up.

"Perry's going to pitch there until he's right," Leyland said, admitting with that he's not down there on rehab simply to show he's healthy.

"There's nothing wrong with Perry's health," Leyland said. "Right now, there's something wrong with his control. He's rusty."

Perry needs to work on command in rehab
Righty healthy, but trying to gain better control of pitches

By Jason Beck and Alex DiFilippo / MLB.com

07/02/10 8:00 PM ET

DETROIT -- Ryan Perry's stint in Triple-A Toledo is a little less like a rehab assignment and a little more of a rust-shaking assignment. It continued Friday night with a scheduled appearance for the Mud Hens against Gwinnett at Fifth Third place.

Perry was expected to pitch an inning. In so doing, the Tigers were hoping for better command from their second-year right-hander, whose return from the disabled list became all the more important when Joel Zumaya fractured his elbow earlier this week.

"He's totally healthy," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "That's not even an issue. That's the good news. The bad news is that he hasn't thrown strikes. He's pitching tonight and hopefully we can get him [back] because we are desperate now with Zumaya being gone. That hurts. So now, we are hoping Perry can get back here shortly.

"I think the other thing you have to be careful of is when you send someone down to be straightened out, you want to make sure they get straightened out. You don't want to panic and just start bringing them back because all of a sudden you've had a snag and you have to make a move."

Reports have suggested Perry's pitches themselves are looking very good with movement, but he has struggled to spot them. He threw just 16 of his 36 pitches for strikes in his last appearance Tuesday at Toledo, but he wasn't hanging pitches.

"He looks like he's healthy," Mud Hens manager Larry Parrish told reporters on Tuesday. "It's just a matter of getting ahead in the count. When he's missing, he's missing down. But he's still missing, whether it's down or up, and being behind is not where he wants to be, especially when he starts facing good hitters."

Perry expected to be called up Saturday
Right-hander pitched perfect inning on Friday at Triple-A

By Jason Beck and Alex DiFilippo / MLB.com

07/03/10 12:19 AM ET

DETROIT -- Ryan Perry's stint in Triple-A Toledo was a little less like a rehab assignment and a little more of a rust-shaking assignment. It continued on Friday night with an appearance for the Mud Hens against Gwinnett at Fifth Third place.

Perry pitched a perfect inning with two strikeouts on Friday night then was told he will be activated from the disabled list on Saturday and return to the Tigers bullpen, according to the Toledo Blade. The Tigers did not announce a move after Friday's game and it wasn't immediately clear what the return move would be.

Perry threw the eighth inning and retired all three batters he faced, two of which came via strikeout. His pitches to strikes ratio was also much improved with nine of his 13 pitches counting as strikes. He topped out his fastball at 95 to 96 mph in his outing, as well.

The performance was a step in the right direction for the second-year right-hander, who Tigers manager Jim Leyland said had to iron out his command before returning to the big leagues. It will be important for Perry to find his groove quick, as a season-ending elbow fracture suffered by Joel Zumaya has left a gap in the Tigers bullpen.

"He's totally healthy," Leyland said. "That's not even an issue. That's the good news. The bad news is that he hasn't thrown strikes. He's pitching tonight [Friday] and hopefully we can get him [back] because we are desperate now with Zumaya being gone. That hurts. So now, we are hoping Perry can get back here shortly."

PERRY REINSTATED FROM DL, FIEN OPTIONED: The Tigers today announced the club has recalled the injury rehabilitation assignment of righthanded pitcher Ryan Perry and reinstated him from the disabled list. To create room on the club’s 25-man roster, the Tigers today optioned the contract of righthanded pitcher Casey Fien to Toledo. Perry had been sidelined since June 7 with right shoulder bicipital tendinitis and in three outings with Toledo, he allowed an unearned run on one hit in 3.2 innings of work as he allowed four walks and fanned four batters.

Perry stingy with runners on base

By Jason Beck / MLB.com

08/21/10 7:46 PM ET

DETROIT -- Hard as it might be to believe, this weekend's series between the Tigers and Indians features the two stingiest relievers in the American League in terms of inherited runners stranded. Indians left-hander Tony Sipp is first at 28-for-36, and Tigers righty Ryan Perry is second at 19-for-23.

For all the ups and downs Perry has experienced in his sophomore season, that has been one mark in his favor all year.

The 23-year-old hasn't entered many situations with runners on base since returning from the disabled list last month. The bulk of his baserunners came early in the year, when he was sharing setup duties with Joel Zumaya. Perry's now beginning more innings, but he still has entered in some situations to get the final out of the seventh.

That was his situation Monday night at Yankee Stadium, when back-to-back two-out hits off Phil Coke brought in Perry to face Francisco Cervelli as the potential go-ahead run in what was then a 2-0 game. Perry retired Cervelli on a groundout to end the threat.

A day earlier, he had a big strikeout of Paul Konerko to end a White Sox rally.

Some of Perry's progress lately has been due to his health, bullpen coach Jeff Jones said. His arm issues earlier were believed to be lingering for a while. Manager Jim Leyland also sees his delivery as a difference.

"I think the next step with him is consistency," Leyland said. "He's got to get to where he gets in a steady rhythm on a consistent basis."

Leyland looking for consistency from Perry

By Alan Eskew / Special to MLB.com

09/04/10 9:38 PM ET

KANSAS CITY -- Ryan Perry threw two flawless innings on Friday to pick up the victory over the Royals. Perry struck out two and threw 15 strikes in 23 pitches.

"He's got to bottle that," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said on Saturday. "That's stuff you want to bottle. He looked great last night. That was very encouraging."

Leyland said he looking for more consistency from Perry in "control, throwing more strikes, getting ahead of hitters better."

"He's got one of the best arms in the bullpen in the league," Leyland said. "He matches up well with all the guys, throwing 96-95-94 [mph]. He has an outstanding slider. All the equipment is there. It's just a matter of consistency. He's one of my favorites. I love him."

Overall, Perry is 3-5 with a 4.22 ERA, allowing 50 hits and walking 21 in 49 innings. Perry said he had a "chip on his shoulder" against the Royals, after taking a loss in the 10th inning on Wednesday against the Twins.

"Maybe he was a little complacent," Leyland said. "I don't know if that's true or not. It sounds that way."

Eye infection forces Perry to disabled list
Righty Weinhardt recalled from Triple-A to fill bullpen opening
By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 04/07/11 1:38 PM ET

BALTIMORE -- The Tigers didn't lose any players to the recent stomach bug that had gone around the clubhouse, but they have lost a potentially key reliever to an eye issue.

Right-hander Ryan Perry, one of the club's seventh-inning setup men, was placed on the 15-day disabled list Thursday with an infected eye.

Perry's spot in the bullpen will be taken by right-handed sinkerballer Robbie Weinhardt, who was recalled Thursday from Triple-A Toledo. Weinhardt was one of the final cuts during Spring Training, losing out to long relievers Brayan Villarreal and Enrique Gonzalez.

Perry pitched in two of the Tigers' first four games, allowing a run over two-thirds of an inning Saturday at Yankee Stadium before tossing a scoreless eighth inning Monday against the Orioles.

With Joel Zumaya opening the season on the DL, Perry was seen as the primary candidate to help carry a lead from Detroit's starters to setup man Joaquin Benoit and closer Jose Valverde. That mainly involved the seventh inning, which manager Jim Leyland had hinted was a point of concern.

Leyland had left-hander Phil Coke, a primary setup man for much of last season, available in that spot for the first four games, while the Tigers needed just four starters. With no off-day scheduled for the next two weeks, Coke is back in starter mode for his scheduled turn in the rotation Saturday against the Royals at Comerica Park.

With Perry out, the seventh inning becomes an opportunity for some who are younger and less-tested. Weinhardt would presumably be among them, as will left-handers Daniel Schlereth and Brad Thomas.

Perry's move was made retroactive to Tuesday. He'll be eligible to return from the DL on April 20 -- the final day of the Tigers' next road trip to the West Coast. They have a series finale in Seattle that afternoon.

Weinhardt was in Toledo for the Mud Hens' season opener, scheduled for Thursday. He caught a flight to Baltimore and is expected to be available for the Tigers' series finale against the Orioles.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Perry's DL stint expected to be minimal
By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 04/10/11 12:02 PM ET

DETROIT -- It's looking like Ryan Perry's stay on the disabled list will be minimal. The right-handed reliever threw Sunday morning as he tries to keep his arm fresh while his infected left eye heals.

Perry's eye infection prevents him from wearing contacts, which prevents him from pitching in games. His astigmatism can't be corrected well enough with glasses to let him play, according to head athletic trainer Kevin Rand. Moreover, the infection leaves his eye sensitive to light.
Physically, however, he's perfectly fine. So once he was cleared, he donned a pair of sunglasses and threw.

Perry's DL stint was retroactive to April 5. He's eligible to return April 20, the final day of the Tigers' upcoming seven-game West Coast road trip. Since it's an early afternoon game in Seattle, the Tigers could wait until they return home on April 22.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Perry set for rehab assignment
By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 04/13/11 12:43 PM ET

DETROIT -- The left eye infection that has sidelined Ryan Perry for the past week is all but gone, and Perry is ready to begin a rehab stint at Triple-A Toledo, with an eye towards being ready to return when he's eligible to come off the 15-day disabled list next Wednesday at Seattle.

Perry said he has an appointment on Thursday with the team eye doctor, who is expected to clear him to wear contacts again. That will clear him to head down to Toledo and throw a side session later that day at Fifth Third Field.

His rehab assignment will then officially begin Friday with an appearance for the Mud Hens that night against Columbus. That outing will last around 30 pitches, or two innings.

After another side session over the weekend, Perry would then make one more rehab appearance early next week, possibly Monday.

From there, the plan calls for him to fly out to Seattle in anticipation of being activated for Wednesday afternoon's series finale against the Mariners at Safeco Field.

The Tigers could wait to activate Perry until they return home next Friday, but the importance of having him available Wednesday is a sign of how much he means toward shoring up the seventh inning.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Perry has smooth relief outing for Toledo
By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 04/19/11 2:03 AM ET

SEATTLE -- Ryan Perry had a smooth inning of relief in his second rehab appearance Monday for Triple-A Toledo, retiring the side in order in a 15-pitch frame. That follows up his 27-pitch outing for the Mud Hens last Friday, which included three hits and four batters retired.

The plan Perry discussed last week involved two outings before he's eligible to be activated from the disabled list on Wednesday. Assuming Perry feels fine on Tuesday, he's expected to fly to Seattle in time to be ready, active and available for Wednesday afternoon's series finale vs. the Tigers.

Perry went on the disabled list two weeks ago with an eye infection. That has cleared up, allowing him to wear contacts. He had nothing wrong with the arm, so the rehab has basically been a way to work his way back into game action.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Perry's return gives Tigers options in bullpen
By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 04/20/11 4:01 PM ET

SEATTLE -- Ryan Perry is back in the Tigers' bullpen, having been activated from the 15-day disabled list as expected Wednesday morning. Alberto Alburquerque, the reliever indirectly replacing him for the past week or so, did not go back. Instead, long reliever Enrique Gonzalez was outrighted to Triple-A Toledo.

The result: Manager Jim Leyland has some mixing and matching he can do to get through the seventh inning with a lead without potentially burning his young, untested arms.

"Maybe we can set some of the kids in a little different order, break them in a little bit different. Perry, obviously, we're hoping can be a big help to us later on in the game, in that seventh-inning situation probably, which will take a little stress off a couple of kids. They'll be able to do it sometimes, but hopefully that's the way it'll work out."

It's a little unusual to think of the 24-year-old reliever as the experienced arm, but after the better part of two seasons and 115 appearances in the Tigers' bullpen, Perry qualifies. Of Detroit's current relievers, only closer Jose Valverde and setup man Joaquin Benoit have more Major League appearances.

Perry missed two weeks with a left eye infection, but his arm was perfectly fine. He could throw in the bullpen and on the side; he just didn't have the eyesight to pitch in games until he was cleared to wear his contact lenses again last week. Once that happened, he basically just had to work back into game condition during his two rehab outings for Triple-A Toledo.

Perry said he felt fine with his pitches.

"I was able to work on my mechanics, do some extra work," Perry said. "For me, pitching is a lot of muscle memory, and I was able to work on all my stuff."

If he can shore up the seventh inning, he should allow Alburquerque and fellow rookie Brayan Villarreal some room to work on their stuff in more select situations.

Gonzalez had to clear waivers before being outrighted, which means the Tigers had pegged him before he walked four batters while retiring five Tuesday night. The 28-year-old right-hander was somewhat of a surprise pick for the Opening Day bullpen before giving up seven runs on eight hits over 5 1/3 innings, with six walks and two strikeouts.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Leyland not sweating Perry's rough outing
By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 05/10/11 8:09 PM ET

MINNEAPOLIS -- Not since Dontrelle Willis and Fernando Rodney had the Tigers seen the kind of outing Ryan Perry suffered Monday night against the Blue Jays, with three walks, two hits and three runs in a seven-batter span of the ninth inning of what had been a 10-2 game.

Manager Jim Leyland, for one, is willing to put it out of sight.

"I certainly give him the benefit of the doubt," Leyland said Tuesday.

Like the Tigers did with Rodney a few years ago, Leyland is going back to an old trick he learned from former All-Star pitcher Jim Kaat. He's going to have Perry throw off a mound every day before the game -- nothing strenuous, just enough to repeat his motion.

"I'm going to have him just get on the mound for five minutes," Leyland said. "That's it. Concentrate on the target and throw to the catcher every day, unless the arm needs a day off or something, just to see if that helps him out a little bit."

Part of it, Leyland said, is to help Perry adjust to going long stretches without pitching in a game. Monday was his first outing in a week, thanks to the recent dominance of Detroit's starting pitching. Before that, by comparison, he had pitched four times in five days. Leyland wasn't making an excuse out of it, but he's trying to help Perry make the adjustment.

"It's a catch-22," Leyland said. "When somebody sits for six or seven days, that's a good thing, because it means your starters are going deep and you're getting to your closer. It's a bad thing because they don't get work. Obviously, you'd rather have the winning games. But it's also something that a pitcher at the Major League level has to learn how to do.

"He has to learn how to be able to sit for a few days, and then come in the game after the fifth or sixth day and be able to throw strikes. It's a knack, and it's not easy to do, particularly if you're a big, gangly guy like Ryan. It's a little more difficult, in fairness to him. So I wipe that one out. He certainly gets a reprieve for that."

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

New-look Perry trying to regain old form
By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 05/23/11 8:58 PM ET

DETROIT -- Ryan Perry had a different look in an effort to change his fortunes on Monday before he even threw a pitch. He shaved his head, taking off all the hair he had grown out this spring in an effort to go back to his rookie look.

That likely won't have much to do with whether he can recapture his younger form that made him a central part of Detroit's bullpen. The mechanical work he has put in the last couple days to change his look on the mound will have more to do with that.

A day after manager Jim Leyland said Perry needed to recapture the sinking motion on his fastball to complement his slider, Perry said he was making changes to do that. After watching video all the way back to his college career at the University of Arizona, before he was the Tigers' first-round pick in 2008, Perry and Tigers coaches believe lowering his arm angle should do that.

As Perry explained it, his arm angle had gotten progressively higher in his release when he tried to put in work staying back in his delivery and gaining some consistency. It came at a price, apparently.

His two-seam fastball had been one of his better pitches, both for velocity and movement. Because he could move it opposite of his slider, he could keep hitters guessing.

"That's what got me on the team, really," Perry said. "My first year, I threw a lot of fastballs. Every catcher who caught me said, 'I don't know which way it's going to move.'"

It has become a lot more predictable.

"Now, they're all cutting," Perry said of his fastball. "It looks too much like my slider at times."

Coincidence or not, his fastball percentage has dropped. He went with fastballs on 77.3 percent of his pitches as a rookie in 2009, according to fangraphs.com. They comprised 66.5 percent of his pitches last year, and just 60 percent of his pitches so far this season. His average fastball velocity, in turn, has dropped from 95.4 to 93.9 mph.

"It hasn't given me all my potential, really," Perry said.

Perry went to work on changing that on Sunday. While Rick Porcello took a no-hitter into the sixth inning against the Pirates at PNC Park, Perry was throwing in the visiting bullpen, trying to get the feeling back of his old arm angle. Now, he said, it's a matter of getting the muscle memory down.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Perry optioned to Toledo, Oliver recalled
By Jason Beck and Chris Vannini / MLB.com | 05/28/11 12:36 AM ET

DETROIT -- One day after admitting there were "a lot of things" wrong with his mechanics, right-handed reliever Ryan Perry was optioned to Triple-A Toledo.

Left-hander Andy Oliver was recalled and will start on Saturday against the Red Sox.

Perry gave up seven earned runs over his last two outings, and opponents hit .370 off him, so he wasn't surprised when he received the news.

"I just need to stay out there and work," Perry said. "I'm doing one inning here, and I think I've got it, only to come out next time and find out I don't. It really just needs some consistency in me getting out there."

Manager Jim Leyland said that going to Toledo -- where there is much less pressure -- would provide Perry with the best opportunity to work things out.

"Tonight's move was based solely on one thing -- that Ryan Perry's struggled so bad, he needs to get away from it," Leyland said. "He's hitting his head against the wall right now. We are, too, trying to figure out some way to help him. He needs to just get away from this environment, because there's so much pressure at the Major League level on all these kids."

The Tigers will have to send another pitcher to Toledo soon, as recently acquired reliever David Purcey will be available to pitch on Saturday.
Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. Chris Vannini is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Inge back with Tigers after bout with mono
Third baseman returns from rehab assignment in Triple-A
By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 06/23/11 10:55 AM ET

Brandon Inge will be back with the Tigers when they begin their homestand Friday night against Arizona. Detroit recalled the third baseman from his Minor League rehab assignment on Thursday and activated him from the 15-day disabled list.

Inge had been on the disabled list since June 2 after being diagnosed with mononucleosis, which he'd been dealing with for much of May. While the timetable for his return was originally unclear, Inge later said he was near the tail end of the virus' impact when he was diagnosed.

After working out with the Tigers during their last homestand, he batted 7-for-28 (.250) in seven games for Triple-A Toledo, hitting two home runs in a game on Tuesday. He said his strength and timing improved significantly over the course of the assignment.

"I feel fine now and I need to be there," Inge told the Toledo Blade on Wednesday night. "I can help out. Friday is the day I know I can get back. I am ready."

How manager Jim Leyland works Inge back into the mix will become clearer on Friday. His absence has been noticed defensively, despite strong play at third base by Don Kelly and Danny Worth. Worth and left-hander Adam Wilk were sent back to Toledo on Thursday. The Tigers plan to recall right-hander Ryan Perry from the Mud Hens before Friday's game against Arizona.

Kelly, who assumed the bulk of the duties at third while Inge was out, found a role as the No. 2 hitter in the batting order, a spot Detroit had struggled to fill since optioning Opening Day starting second baseman Will Rhymes in early May.

Kelly batted .263 (15-for-57) with two home runs, seven RBIs and a .715 OPS while Inge was out. It's possible he could retain some time at third base while Inge eases back, or pick up some starts in the outfield as well.

Inge returns to Detroit with a .211 average (34-for-161) in 52 games, but the bigger concern was the number of extra-base hits -- seven doubles and a home run to go with 12 RBIs. His lack of strength was a factor, and the return of it is expected to be factor in how he hits upon his return.

Worth had earned some starts at third base against left-handed pitching while Inge was out, plus some late-game defensive assignments. But with Ryan Raburn and Ramon Santiago splitting time at second base, his opportunities would be limited with Inge back.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Tigers bringing Perry back up from Triple-A
By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 06/22/11 8:56 PM ET

LOS ANGELES -- After manager Jim Leyland admitted last week that he had too many left-handers in his bullpen for his liking, he's getting one potentially important right-hander back. If Ryan Perry is pitching right, not just right-handed, he could be a huge part of the middle and late innings for the Tigers.

Detroit is recalling Perry from Triple-A Toledo, the team announced Wednesday, ending his three-week exile to straighten out his mechanics. The move gives Detroit a second right-hander to handle the middle and seventh innings, complementing Al Alburquerque.

The Tigers had spent the last two weeks with four left-handers in the bullpen. Of the three righties available in relief, Joaquin Benoit and Jose Valverde had specific roles, leaving Alburquerque for the seventh inning and earlier. In Wednesday's 7-5 win, Alburquerque entered with two outs in the fifth and carried a Tigers lead to the eighth inning for Benoit and Valverde.

That wasn't something Leyland felt they could sustain for very long. Still, he didn't want to welcome Perry back until they felt he had legitimately improved his command. The reports from the Mud Hens, Leyland said, suggested he had.

Perry struggled to a 12.19 ERA in 10 1/3 innings with the Tigers this season, allowing 14 runs on 17 hits and nine walks, before he was optioned May 28. The former first-round Draft pick held hitters to nine hits over 16 innings in Toledo, walking three and striking out 16 while scattering three earned runs.

The move ends a nearly three-week stay for Adam Wilk that originally began as a short-term fill-in for David Purcey while he was on paternity leave. He pitched in three games since then, allowing seven runs on 10 hits over seven innings during that time, but had pitched only once since June 12.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Perry more relaxed in return to 'pen
By Chris Vannini / MLB.com | 06/24/11 9:18 PM ET

DETROIT -- Standing at his locker in the clubhouse, there was something noticeably different about pitcher Ryan Perry: the smile across his face.

Three weeks ago, Perry couldn't seem to do much right -- having given up 14 runs in 10 1/3 innings with the Tigers. He was sent to Triple-A Toledo to work on mechanics and get away from the Major League pressure.

The move appears to have paid off so far.

In 16 1/3 innings in Toledo, Perry gave up five earned runs on 11 hits, while striking out 16 and walking three.

Perry changed his mechanics, going back to a wind-up with no runners on base -- something the 24-year-old hadn't done since his days at the University of Arizona. The mechanical changes were a result of watching a lot of film from both his college and pro days.

"Just watching a lot of video over the last couple weeks and [seeing] how my mechanics have changed over the years and just really focused on getting back to how I was in college and my first year, year and a half of pro ball," Perry said of his focus in Toledo.

Perry said he felt he got out of rhythm as a result of drills and that his mechanics had become "too mechanical." He decided to go back to the wind-up to get his flow back and found success.

"That's something that no one's ever screwed with before so I felt like I can go to that and give me what my natural flow is," Perry said. "It's really helped me stay on top of the ball a lot better. My arm angle is a little lower, which I've said before, I think it's been raised."

Perry has been able to locate his pitches much better since adjusting his mechanics and plans to carry that success over now that he's back up with the Tigers.

"I just feel more comfortable on the mound," Perry said. "Previously, I just felt like I was throwing in someone else's body. My mechanics didn't feel right, I didn't feel like I was throwing like me, I felt like I was throwing like someone else wanted me to."

Tigers manager Jim Leyland was excited to bring back Perry to take a spot in the previously lefty-heavy bullpen. Now Leyland can mix things up more, which he believes will be a key to success for the rest of the season.

"He think he's found some things there and we got very good reports on his performances down there. ... Also using his changeup to left-hand hitters, which I think is very essential," Leyland said. "I also think that Ryan Perry, without putting any pressure on him, I also think that he could be a huge key to our second-half."

Chris Vannini is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Guillen, Alburquerque to join Tigers on Saturday
Tigers optioned Worth and Perry to Triple-A Toledo
By Chris Vannini / MLB.com | 07/16/11 12:44 PM ET

DETROIT -- Two highly anticipated returns will be made on the same day for the Tigers.

Tigers president/general manager Dave Dombrowski announced following Friday night's 8-2 loss to the White Sox that infielder Carlos Guillen and pitcher Al Alburquerque would be reinstated from the disabled list and join the Tigers roster on Saturday.

Guillen has been on the 60-day DL since March 30 after microfracture surgery on his left knee last September. While on a rehab assignment, Guillen hit .316 (12-for-38) in 11 games with the Mud Hens and reports were that he felt great.

"I haven't seen him play, but from what I've heard, our reports on him have been very solid," Dombrowski said. "He's been swinging the bat well. I talked to him Wednesday morning. He said he wanted a couple extra days, he felt he was getting there, swinging the bat well. He felt good at the plate, felt comfortable.

"He's caught the ball at second base very solid hands-wise and I think he'll be ready to come back and play."

Alburquerque had been placed on the 15-day DL with right forearm flexor mass inflammation on June 30. Alburquerque has been lights-out this season, allowing 15 hits and striking out 47 batters in 29 innings.

To make room for the pair, the Tigers optioned infielder Danny Worth and pitcher Ryan Perry to Triple-A Toledo.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland said Guillen would start at second base and likely bat seventh on Saturday.

"Obviously, Carlos is a very good veteran player that's feeling good right now," Leyland said. "It'll be good to see him and good to write his name in the lineup. Hopefully, we're going to get some production. I think the guys will be glad to see him, a veteran player, join us."

One player excited to see Guillen was Miguel Cabrera, whose face lit up when he was informed by reporters that Guillen would be coming back.

"That's big news for us," Cabrera said. "I'm excited to see my friend Carlos come in tomorrow. ... Everyone in the lineup, Carlos back, [Magglio Ordonez is] hitting right now, hopefully, we can start getting together and finally make a good run."

The Toledo Blade reported that Guillen was hit on the left knee by a throw on Friday, but he stayed in the game and appeared OK before being ejected for arguing a call.

Guillen hasn't played a Major League game since August of last season, but Dombrowski and Leyland both expect Guillen to contribute.

"We think he can still swing the bat," Dombrowski said. "Our reports are that he's swinging the bat very well down there. It took a while, after being out for a year, to really get to that point, but over his past five, six games, he's really started to swing the bat better."

Dombrowski said the only player with whom he had dealt that had a similar situation was Clete Thomas, who underwent the same surgery last June and returned for Spring Training.

"I've never really been through this surgery with an infielder. ... There's been some ups and downs, as they said there would be, so I really didn't know," Dombrowski said. "I'm glad to see it's worked out."

By Jeff Seidel / Special to MLB.com | 8/13/2011 12:02 AM ET


Alburquerque was taken to the University of Maryland Medical Center, where he was to remain overnight for observation. He was diagnosed with a concussion and placed on the seven-day concussion disabled list. The Tigers will recall Ryan Perry to take his place.

Big out boosts Perry's confidence
By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 08/24/11 7:45 PM ET

ST. PETERSBURG -- It's difficult to determine the last big out Ryan Perry got in a big situation, since those can be subjectively judged. But consider that until Tuesday, Perry hadn't closed out an inning with a lead -- and without allowing a run to score -- since April.

That's the kind of season it has been for Perry, the former first-round pick who went from seventh-inning option to summer struggler. And that's why his out against Evan Longoria with the bases loaded on Tuesday was arguably his biggest this season, if not longer.

"I'm going to pump him up," manager Jim Leyland said before Wednesday's game.

Simply inserting him there was big enough. Perry entered with two outs and the bases loaded, including the would-be tying run on third and go-ahead run on second. Longoria was 2-for-6 lifetime against him, having gotten him for a two-run homer in a tight game at Tropicana Field last summer.

If the situation was big, the pitch that retired Longoria was critical. After falling into a 2-1 count, Perry came after Longoria with a 95-mph fastball, which Longoria skied to center field for Austin Jackson to corral in front of the warning back.

Perry raised his fist as soon as he saw the ball in the air, which spoke plenty about his confidence.

Opponents had been 6-for-17 (.353) against Perry for his career with the bases loaded, including three doubles and two walks.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Perry's been outstanding since his return
By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 08/30/11 9:10 PM ET

DETROIT -- When Ryan Perry made it back to the Tigers' bullpen earlier this month, the question that followed him was whether he could consistently throw strikes. Statistically, he was perfect at that Monday night.

Though his outing came in defeat, Perry's work was nonetheless impressive. With 13 pitches, all of them for strikes, Perry induced four outs. The first one of them was a play at the plate, but he emerged from that to retire the side the next inning.

Not only does Perry have six scoreless innings on five hits since his return, he has allowed only one of eight inherited runners to score. By contrast, his longest scoreless streak before this year was a pair of three-outing stretches, but nowhere near that innings total.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Perry's postseason role yet to be defined
By Jason Beck and Eric Gilmore / MLB.com | 09/18/11 5:33 PM ET

OAKLAND -- While the Tigers finish up their road trip Tuesday and Wednesday in Kansas City, team officials will be meeting with manager Jim Leyland and the coaching staff to discuss, among other things, the postseason roster. Among the topics that are likely to come up is Ryan Perry, who could play a critical role in the Tigers bullpen.

Without Perry, the Tigers would not have survived Al Alburquerque's concussion DL stint as well as they did. When Perry is on his game, he's a highly valued seventh-inning arm capable of strikeouts and groundouts. When he's a little off, he can have struggles like he did Saturday, when a two-out, none-on entrance turned into two insurance runs that ended up being the difference in the game against the A's.

Leyland sounded Sunday like he wasn't making much of Saturday's outing, coming off a division-clincher the previous night. Take away that performance, and Perry had held opponents to two runs on nine hits over 9 2/3 innings since his return from Triple-A Toledo in mid-August.

Alburquerque's health could play a big role in Perry's potential postseason usage. Even if Alburquerque pitches in the Kansas City series as planned, that leaves him about a week to get his arm back in midseason form. Alburquerque clearly plays an important role if he's healthy, but he's valuable enough that Perry could be insurance.

Usage might have been one issue that played into Perry's rough outing Saturday. It was just his fifth appearance since Sept. 1, and at 19 pitches, it was nearly twice as long as any of those previous four outings. He threw 24 pitches over his previous four appearances combined.

Leyland has not talked much about the decisions facing the Tigers in choosing a postseason bullpen. He met with pitching coach Jeff Jones on Sunday morning to try to map out their rotation plans, but he won't discuss a lot with the media this week for fear of tipping off the throng of advance scouts following the team.

Leyland made no secret, though, they have decisions to make.

"We're sniffing around," Leyland said.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. Eric Gilmore is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.