Manning answering challenge; Perez debuts

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Long at-bats are the utensils with which veteran hitters can chew up young pitchers, waiting for that one mistake they can crush, even in Spring Training. For Tigers right-hander Matt Manning, it was a springboard.

As Phillies second baseman Jean Segura fouled off one fastball after another, sending his leadoff at-bat into double-digit pitches in the bottom of the fifth, he had the middle of Philadelphia's lineup waiting to take advantage, including Bryce Harper. Then Manning flipped the script by flipping a curveball.

Manning had thrown one curve in the at-bat, six pitches earlier with a 1-2 count, but he didn’t get it right and dropped it out of the zone. This time, he executed it, locating it at the knees for a called third strike and the first out of the inning.

“It’s early in camp,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said after Wednesday’s 6-4 loss, “but I’m sure going home tonight, it feels pretty good to win that battle.”

Manning showed all three of his pitches to get that first out, including fastballs ranging from 93 mph to just shy of 96, according to Statcast. Next up came Harper, who had struck out on Matthew Boyd sliders to end the first and third innings. Manning challenged him with three fastballs in the upper part of the strike zone, 94 mph on the first, then 95 and finally 97. Harper swung and missed on the first, fouled off the second, then whiffed on the third.

Manning gave up three consecutive singles and a run in the sixth, but avoided further damage by inducing a first-pitch double play from Jeff Mathis, well-turned by Detroit shortstop Ryan Kreidler and second baseman Kody Clemens.

“He threw the ball great,” Hinch said. “I think the ability for him to stay in the at-bat and continue to throw strikes -- we had a nice conversation afterwards.”

Two innings were it for Manning, who won’t stretch beyond that for any outing in this camp. It was part of Hinch’s conversation with Manning. His lack of work last year between the cancellation of the Minor League season and a shortened stint at the alternate training site is leading Hinch to progress Manning slowly, which all but rules out his hope of making a case to break camp with the big league club.

“But he’s answering every challenge, both mentally and physically, that we would hope for this spring,” Hinch said.

Perez makes spring debut
Franklin Perez overcame a leadoff walk to toss a scoreless seventh inning in his first outing of the spring. His curveball looked sharp, but his rust showed on his fastball, which generally sat in the mid to upper 80s. He topped out at 89 mph, according to Statcast, on a pitch in the dirt to walk Ronald Torreyes, but he changed speeds effectively with what he has.

Perez was a delayed arrival to Spring Training and was brought along slowly given his injury history. He hadn’t faced an opponent in a game since last spring, having spent last year in Summer Camp and then the alternate training site.

“It was his first outing in a long time,” Hinch said, “and I was glad he got through it. It gave him something to work from. Obviously getting him into a game was really important. I know he’s worked hard to get himself back into games based on how his last year or two has gone.”

Short sidelined in COVID protocol
Infield prospect Zack Short hasn’t appeared in a game since last Saturday, and he might be sidelined for a little while longer. He isn’t injured, but Hinch indicated that he’s currently out for COVID-19 protocols. The skipper couldn’t offer specifics but clarified that Short did not violate any rules.

“By no error of his own or anything like that,” Hinch said, “but he’s away from camp for the time being until he gets cleared again.”

Quick hits
• Hinch joked before the game that he talked with bench coach George Lombard about trying a four-man outfield against Harper, but decided against it for now. He expects they’ll try the alignment in a situation eventually.

• Niko Goodrum and Harold Castro will see work in the outfield beginning next week, including a potential start in center field for Goodrum on Sunday.