Detroit Tigers: Struggling Jordan Zimmermann hits DL
By Tim Haberin
In the month of April, the Detroit Tigers’ Jordan Zimmermann was one of the best pitchers in baseball. It’s been a different story since then, and a trip to the DL for a neck injury adds yet another frustration.
Jordan Zimmermann couldn’t have scripted a better beginning to his tenure with the Detroit Tigers after signing a five-year contract in the offseason. By the end of April, he owned a perfect 5-0 record and a minuscule 0.55 ERA over 33 innings.
Less than a week into July, that ERA has climbed to 3.95 and the 30-year-old right-hander now finds himself on the disabled list with a neck strain:
The #Tigers today have placed RHP @JZimmermann27 on the 15-day disabled list with a right neck strain retroactive to July 1.
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) July 4, 2016
Fellow righty Dustin Molleken was called up from Triple-A Toledo to take the open roster spot. Zimmermann’s injury will likely keep him out until after the All-Star break, nixing two of his turns through the rotation.
In the meantime, every party involved – Zimmermann, the Tigers and their fans – will hope that the stint on the sidelines provides some clarity and resolution in regard to the pitcher’s recent struggles. Since his brilliant first five outings, Zimmermann has posted a 5.74 ERA in 62.2 frames. In the month of June, his ERA was 6.43 and opponents slashed a robust .309/.340/.540 against him.
Zimmermann’s worst start of the season thus far came on June 24 against Cleveland. He lasted only 3.2 innings as the Indians tagged him for seven runs on nine hits. Of his last 10 outings, only three have been quality starts.
So what exactly has been the problem with Zimmermann of late? Does the neck issue have anything to do with his poor results? No one can really say for sure, but the DL trip does present a potential explanation as to why the veteran hurler hasn’t looked like himself over the last couple months.
However, there have also been some on-field clues that could provide reasons. As Chris McCosky of The Detroit News points out, right-handed hitters have been feasting on Zimmermann this year, which is unusual for him. Righty bats are slashing .300/.329/.460 against him in 2016, compared to a career average of .247/.283/.380.
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McCosky believes Zimmermann’s ineffective use of his slider could be the culprit. He’s had difficulty getting hitters out with it, especially in his last two starts. In those outings, opponents managed a hearty .429 batting average against the pitch. They own just a .227 mark against it over Zimmerman’s career.
Catcher Jarroad Saltalamacchia agrees with the assessment: “Over the course of a long season, you go through these things. You get dinged up. You don’t feel 100 percent. He’s always had that slider. Right now, he’s getting on the side of it and it’s spinning more than it usually does.”
If Zimmermann can get back to generating outs with his slider, he can likely turn his recent misfortunes around. Nevertheless, it’s worth noting that his velocity has dipped noticeably the last couple seasons, which has coincided with diminishing production. His fastball averaged 93 mph last year after a few seasons around 94 mph. This year it’s sitting at 91.9 mph. Last season Zimmermann finished with a 3.66 ERA, a full run higher than the year before and his highest since 2010. At age 30, it might not be unreasonable to think that trend could continue.
While Zimmermann recovers, the Tigers will slot Anibal Sanchez back into the rotation. The veteran right-hander was a disaster through the season’s first two months, posting a 6.67 ERA over his initial 11 outings. He seemed to find something in the bullpen, though, putting up a 2.84 ERA in eight relief appearances in June. Sanchez’s only real blemish during the month was a start on June 25 in which he surrendered four runs over five frames to Cleveland. Detroit will hope he fares better in his latest return to a starting role.
The Tigers remain firmly in the playoff hunt, only one game behind the Blue Jays for the second Wild Card spot. If they want to get there, they will need much better contributions from their starting pitchers. Detroit’s rotation sports a 4.56 ERA, good for 17th in baseball. Rookie Michael Fulmer has been the only real standout on the staff. Zimmermann getting himself back on track would be a major boost for the second half.