Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland says prospective Game 5 starter Max Scherzer could instead come out of the bullpen in Game 4 on Tuesday if needed, reports Jason Beck of MLB.com.
ALDS 2013: Tigers’ Scherzer could relieve in Game 4
Both Scherzer and Verlander were excellent in their first starts in the series, but the Tigers still face elimination.
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The Tigers are facing elimination Tuesday evening as the Oakland Athletics hold a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series. The team is ready to throw out anything they can to extend their season at least one more game.
If Scherzer were to be used out of the bullpen, Justin Verlander would be in line to start Game 5 on Thursday. He would be on normal rest after starting Game 2, when he tossed seven shutout innings while allowing just four hits and striking out 11 batters. The Tigers lost that game 1-0 as rookie Sony Gray muffled the Detroit offense.
Scherzer, perhaps the front-runner for the AL Cy Young award, took the mound in Game 1 and threw seven excellent innings. There had been talk that he could start Game 4 with the season on the line, but the Tigers instead chose to allow Doug Fister to make the start.
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