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Tigers Get Discouraging Injury Update on Brant Hurter
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- Tigers Get Discouraging Injury Update on Brant Hurter
The Detroit Tigers appeared to be getting close to adding Brant Hurter back to their bullpen.
Not anymore.
Detroit has pulled Hurter from his minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Toledo, delaying the left-hander's return after a rough stretch of appearances. The good news is that Hurter has not suffered another injury, according to MLB's Jason Beck . The less encouraging part is that the Tigers don't believe he's ready to face Major League hitters yet.
Brant Hurter injury update
Manager A.J. Hinch said Detroit wants Hurter out of games temporarily while he works on his mechanics.
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"We have not shut him down completely," Hinch said , adding that the Tigers want to make sure Hurter is operating at full strength.
Hurter will have to remain out of rehab games for at least seven days before Detroit can restart the assignment.
That's an unfortunate detour for a bullpen that could use him.
Hurter has been sidelined since May because of lumbar spine inflammation and was transferred to the 60-day injured list earlier this season . He began his rehab assignment with Single-A Lakeland on Aug. 4 before moving up to Toledo.
The results weren't pretty.
Across five rehab appearances, Hurter allowed 11 hits and four walks in 3⅔ innings, producing a 24.55 ERA. MLB's Tigers injury tracker had already noted diminished velocity during his Toledo work before Friday's decision.
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That's the part worth paying attention to.
Hurter had become one of Detroit's more dependable bullpen arms before the injury, posting a 2.84 ERA over 21 appearances this season. His ability to give A.J. Hinch multiple innings and handle meaningful situations made him more than another left-hander occupying a bullpen seat.
Detroit's decision at the trade deadline made his return even more important. Scott Harris specifically pointed toward Hurter and other internal pitching options when explaining why the Tigers didn't make a bigger bullpen addition.
Tigers bullpen trade deadline Zyhir Hope Tigers debut Detroit Tigers promote Brett Callahan Brett Callahan Tigers Brady Smith injured list
Now one of those expected reinforcements has hit a speed bump.
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There is no indication Hurter's back injury has worsened, which is the most important part of Friday's update. But when a pitcher is removed from a rehab assignment because the organization doesn't like how he's moving and executing, that's not exactly the final box you want checked before welcoming him back to Detroit.
The Tigers will keep him throwing.
His return to the bullpen will have to wait.
