Max Scherzer pitched at terrific game, allowing just two hit and two walks in six innings and the Tigers beat the Yankees 3-1 Monday night. However, Bless You Boys wonders about two specific incidents in the game that might come back to haunt Detroit down the road.
In turning the game-ending double play, Carlos Guillen took quite a smack. Nothing out of the routine for a second baseman. Manager Jim Leyland said after the game Guillen seems to be fine. But he is Guillen so pessimism is the better part of valor when we see him bending over in pain.
And of course, we have the matter of the closer to worry about, now don’t we? Coming off an abdominal strain, Jose Valverde was asked to get a four-out save. He did it. Took nearly 40 pitches — just 16 of them strikes — a bases loaded walk , a double play grounded into by Derek Jeter and a visit from trainer Kevin Rand, but he did it. Of course he’ll probably be unavailable for the next few games because of it.