Fiers sticks with Tigers, to start vs. Reds (Jul 31, 2018)
Mike Fiers seemed to be on his way to Oakland on Tuesday. He'll make a visit there this week but he won't be sticking around.
Rumors were flying on Twitter just before the trade deadline that the Detroit Tigers right-hander would be dealt to the A's. That turned out to be false and Fiers will be making his scheduled start for the Tigers on Wednesday afternoon against Cincinnati.
Detroit heads out to Oakland for a weekend series after completing the two-game set with the Reds.
"I'm going to Oakland tomorrow," Fiers told mlb.com after the deadline passed.
Oakland and Milwaukee did have discussions with Tigers GM Al Avila about Fiers but nothing materialized.
"It really didn't get very far," Avila said.
The Tigers will have to settle for getting another quality outing out of Fiers (7-6, 3.54 ERA). Fiers hasn't given up more than three earned runs or pitched fewer than six innings in his last six starts.
Fiers wound up with a no-decision in his last start on Friday. He gave up three runs on five hits in six innings against Cleveland. He's 3-4 with a 2.72 ERA in nine career outings against Cincinnati.
The Tigers did make one trade on Tuesday, sending center fielder Leonys Martin to Cleveland for a shortstop prospect. JaCoby Jones will now get the bulk of the starts in center. Jones threw out a runner at home in Tuesday's 2-1 victory.
Outfielder Mike Gerber was called up from Triple-A Toledo to take Martin's spot on the roster. Gerber collected his first major league hit, an RBI double, in the eighth inning.
Cincinnati made a little noise the day before, sending outfielder Adam Duvall to Atlanta for three minor-leaguers. Like the Tigers, the Reds didn't make as many moves as they would have liked in a buyer's market.
"I would say we were looking to get deals done, but it's part of the business when they don't get done," president of baseball operations Dick Williams told mlb.com. "You have to set limits for yourself for what you're willing to do and try as hard as you can to get deals done within those parameters and if they don't happen, you have to be willing to accept it and move forward."
Sal Romano (6-8, 5.04 ERA) is the scheduled starter for the Reds on Wednesday. Romano picked up the win in his last start on July 25, holding St. Louis to two runs on seven hits in six innings.
Romano tends to get stronger the deeper he gets into games.
"It is a beautiful thing, because the longer he stays in there, the more the ball gets on the ground," interim manager Jim Riggleman said to MLB.com. "He gets those sinkers working and we can make some plays for him."
He made a six-pitch relief appearance against Philadelphia three nights later and recorded two outs.
Romano delivered arguably his best start of the season against the Tigers on June 19, tossing seven scoreless innings in a 9-5 Reds victory. That was the first time he faced Detroit in his career.
