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Tigers Hope Luck is on Reese Olson’s Side vs. Jays
Reese Olson’s Tough Luck
Reese Olson, despite being one of the most promising pitchers for the Detroit Tigers this season, remains winless. The right-hander boasts an impressive 2.16 ERA and 1.06 WHIP heading into Saturday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays, yet holds an 0-5 record. In nine starts, Olson has allowed two or fewer earned runs in all but one game. However, the Tigers have lost his last eight starts, scoring just 15 runs in total during those games.
Olson’s Last Outing
Olson’s latest beginning against Kansas City was sliced short because of a sad occurrence. During the third inning, Michael Massey hit a pitch that deflected away from Olson’s right hip, making Olson “shut down” immediately. Despite the fact that he didn’t pass out, he felt unsteady after two warmup pitches and was taken out from the game.
“The two throws I made just felt a little unstable on my back leg,” Olson explained. “We decided to be done so it doesn’t lead to anything else.”
Fortunately, it was just a contusion, and after a successful bullpen session on Thursday, Olson was cleared to start against the Blue Jays.
Berrios on the Mound for Toronto
Opposing Olson will be Toronto’s Jose Berrios, who has been reliable this season with a 5-3 record and 2.98 ERA. Berrios has delivered eight quality starts this season, and in his last outing, he allowed three runs and eight hits over six-plus innings, earning a win for the first time in five starts.
“We’ve had numerous talks last season and this season about him becoming a leader. That shows,” said Toronto manager John Schneider. “He portrays that on the mound right now. … He’s taken a step forward, not just in pitching and executing, but he feels like he’s one of the guys and that shows.”
Berrios has a solid history against Detroit, with a 7-2 record and 4.48 ERA in 14 career appearances (13 starts) against the Tigers.
Series So Far
The series between the Tigers and Blue Jays is tied at one game apiece. Detroit snapped a five-game losing streak with a 6-2 win on Friday night. Rookie Colt Keith hit his first career homer and drove in two runs, helping to secure the victory.
“I don’t know how much he was carrying around for a couple of months but it felt like it came off as soon as the ball left the yard,” Detroit manager A.J. Hinch said about Keith’s milestone.
Keith, who had a .152 batting average on May 5, has since improved to .236. “Progressively over the last few weeks, you’ve just seen him take a few more early-count strikes and balls,” Hinch noted. “You’ve seen him battle with two strikes and get rewarded with some good hits. Today, he got a changeup to the pull side and hits the homer.”
Key Moments
In Friday’s game, Detroit capitalized on a three-run fourth inning, which was aided by a rare miscommunication between Toronto outfielders Daulton Varsho and Kevin Kiermaier.
“It’s very rare for those guys to miscommunicate,” Schneider said. “It’s the best outfield in Major League Baseball.”
Conclusion
As the Tigers aim for another win and hope to change Olson’s luck, they’ll need to build on their recent victory and continue their momentum against the Blue Jays. With Olson on the mound, Detroit looks to support their pitcher with solid defense and timely hitting, hoping to secure a series lead.
