Tigers' Ty Madden: Covers six frames in bulk relief
Madden allowed three runs on two hits and two walks while striking out five batters over six relief innings in a no-decision versus Kansas City on Saturday.
Detroit opted to go with an opener Saturday, so Madden didn't enter until the third frame. That saved him from being tagged with a loss, though it also prevented him from notching a quality start, which he would have earned otherwise with three runs allowed across six innings. Madden covered a starter's workload, tossing 87 pitches, 53 of which were strikes. The right-hander has worked in bulk relief in each of his two outings so far this season and has fared well, as he tossed five scoreless frames with seven punchouts in his previous appearance May 4 versus Boston. Given that success, the Tigers may opt to keep deploying Madden behind an opener, but regardless he seems likely to continue working as a rotation piece for Detroit.
