He’ll be held out of his next scheduled appearance and throw on the side instead – in an effort to solve some control problems.
The Tigers have never anointed Rondon as their closer, of course. Manager Jim Leyland has made it very clear he is only a candidate – and one of the reasons why is exactly what the Tigers are encountering now.
They had no idea how Rondon would pitch this spring.
And now that he’s stumbled a few times, they’re taking quick measures to get the flaws corrected.
Plan B for the Tigers, however, is murky. As Leyland has said, he has pitchers who can save a game or two, but he isn’t sure he has a pitcher who can close all year.
It’s too early to stamp this a setback, because the mechanical flaw might be easily corrected.
But if it isn’t, the Tigers have a major problem. Rondon can’t close if he doesn’t throw strikes.
Join the Conversation
The Detroit News aims to provide a forum that fosters smart, civil discussions on the news and events that we cover. The News will not condone personal attacks, off topic posts or brutish language on our site. If you find a comment that you believe violates these standards, please click the "X" in the upper right corner of the post to report it.