Lee uses his brain and his bat to lead Tigers to victory

CHICAGO -- Hao-Yu Lee has a simple explanation for why his second Major League stint with the Tigers has gone so much better than the first.

“The routine's the same. It's just the mental side,” Lee explained after his go-ahead three-run home run in Wednesday’s 5-1 win over the Cubs. “I'm more confident. I don't feel like, ‘This is bigger, so I need to do a lot.’

“The first time, I [would] think everybody's better than me when I faced a pitcher. But right now, I just catch some details. For example, when I faced Gerrit Cole, I got a hit. So when I face another righty pitcher, I feel like I hit Gerrit Cole last time, so I don't need to be scared. I just catch a little bit of detail and give myself confidence.”

It was a simple opposite-field single off Cole on June 22 at Yankee Stadium. But to hit a former Cy Young Award winner like Cole meant a lot to Lee, who by then was already building momentum.

When Lee got the call for his big league debut in mid-April, he had his moments -- notably, his go-ahead pinch-hit home run for his first MLB homer on April 26 in Cincinnati. But he largely struggled, hitting .205 before being optioned back to Triple-A Toledo on June 2, when Gleyber Torres returned from the injured list.

Lee came back two weeks later, becoming part of Detroit’s second-base rotation when Torres re-injured his oblique, and the difference was noticeable. He looked less jumpy, more settled in at the plate. He had a better idea of how pitchers would approach him and how to counter.

When Lee stepped to the plate for his first at-bat Wednesday against Cubs right-hander Colin Rea with a runner on first and two outs in the second inning, he battled out of an 0-2 hole to force a full count. Rea challenged him with a 93 mph fastball over the middle. Lee grounded out to second to end the inning, but he filed the pitch in his memory.

Lee came back up two innings later with runners on first and second and worked a 3-0 count.

“The first at-bat, 0-2 to 3-2, he threw it down the middle,” Lee said. “So on the second at-bat when I had 3-0, I think the pitcher doesn't want to give a walk, so he'll want to throw it in. So that's how I get into swing mode.”

He thought right.

“I just threw a get-me-over fastball and he put a good swing on it,” Rea said. “With two outs there, you’ve got to be thinking a little bit better. Even though it’s 3-0 there, you’ve still got to make a better pitch.”

Lee not only made an impact, he also made a fan out of Cubs manager Craig Counsell.

“That’s why you swing 3-0,” Counsell said. “We don’t like swinging 3-0 when we make outs. But when we hit three-run homers, that’s why you swing 3-0. He threw a ball down the middle and the kid did a nice job and hit a homer.”

Lee is batting .311 (28-for-90) with four doubles, four homers and 12 RBIs since the start of June. He has not only become a quiet part of the Tigers’ summer resurgence, he has also become part of the Tigers’ plan.

“I think this second time through with Hao-Yu has been really good to see him play the game relaxed, take his shot when he knew he had a good shot,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “He’s hit the ball as hard as anybody on our team, so when he got a good pitch to hit, he didn’t miss it.”

Part of the reason the Tigers were willing to cut ties with Jahmai Jones was the belief that their young right-handed hitters, including Lee, could handle the role of attacking lefties. But, far from a simple platoon role, Lee is giving the Tigers confidence he can handle righties as well. His start Wednesday came at second base, giving Torres a game off in his third day back from the injured list.

Expect more of that with the Tigers keeping an eye on Torres. Expect to see Lee mix in at third base as well.

“Lee obviously has gained a lot of experience while Gleyber has been down, and that can’t be overlooked,” Hinch said. “And we have a lot of trust and faith in him. That’s why we’ve played him virtually every day.

“He knows he belongs. He knows he can play here. And he’s watching and studying a lot.”