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Detroit Tigers’ Reese Olson ready to face his childhood team in Atlanta

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Detroit Tigers’ Reese Olson ready to face his childhood team in Atlanta

Houston — This won’t be Reese Olson’s first time pitching on the big league mound in Atlanta.

Oh sure, Monday will be the first time he faces his hometown team as a major player at Truist Park and he’ll have about 50 friends and family there supporting him.

But the Gainesville, Ga., native has already stepped on the field at Turner Field, the former short-lived home of the Braves.

“It was my sophomore year in high school,” Olson said. “It was an exhibition game, as you could call it. It was great. My first time on a big league pitch. Really cool to see.

So, did you pitch?

“Yeah, everyone pitched an inning,” he said. “I pitched the first inning. Clean handle.

Gainesville is about 54 miles from Atlanta, and his family often made the trip, either to Turner or Truist. Chipper Jones was of course one of his favorite players, but shortstop Rafael Furcal held a special place in his young heart.

“He hit two homers on my birthday when I was really young,” Olson said. “So I kind of held on to him.”

Olson will suspend the return until after Monday’s game. His goal is to work his way through this difficult three-start stretch he finds himself in.

“Yeah, I’m just going to treat it like any other start and not really think about (the comeback),” he said. “Go out, get my job and try to help us win, then enjoy time with my friends and family afterwards.

In three starts in June, Olson had 18 runs (17 earned) in 14.2 innings. He had allowed one home run in his first 56.1 innings. He is entitled to three this month.

What is puzzling is that there has been no notable deterioration of its arsenal. It’s mostly a question of consistency and command.

“I really tried to focus on execution,” Olson said. “And maybe a few different signals when I’m there, a few different targeting elements. But everything is the same. I don’t feel like I need to make huge changes.

It will only be the 32sd major league debut for Olson. Development certainly doesn’t stop in less than two major league seasons, and right now he’s learning how to stay steady throughout the roller coaster of a long season.

“It’s always about the opponent and the style of batting they face,” manager AJ Hinch said. “In their last start (against the Nationals), they’re a ball-in-play team, a lot of speed, a lot of hits. Now you go to Atlanta and everyone is going to talk about damage control.

“It’s a ton of power and it’s a park where the ball travels a little bit and in the middle of the order with a lot of recognizable names. Pitch mix is ​​always important.

Olson, Hinch said, became overly reliant on his two-seam fastball and was encouraged to keep the four-seam in the mix.

“There are things he can do to adapt, but he’s also facing a completely different team,” Hinch said. “That’s what we preach all the time. His last start has nothing to do with what this start will be.

Olson remained stoic throughout this sequence. His confidence did not waver and there were outward signs of panic or frustration. All good things.

“It’s the best league in the world,” he said. “Ask anyone here, they’ve all been through tough times. It is not easy. That’s why it’s hard to get here and hard to stay here. You just work on it.

“I had a good first two months so I’m not changing anything. It’s just about understanding that the guys on the other side are also very good. »

Hinch wants Olson to accept this departure. He wants him to savor this childhood dream: playing against the Braves in his hometown stadium.

“Players will never admit how special and unique it is or how they feel,” Hinch said. “But it will mean a lot to him. Being in this part of the country, being in front of my family and friends, playing the Braves. I know he started against his old team (Brewers) and made his big league debut. He knows he is a great player.

“But it will be a full circle for him. From one of the least emotional players on our team, I hope he soaks it up a little.”

We must save Jason Foley

Jason Foley, one of the Tigers’ late-inning leverage relievers, had pitched just 4.1 innings this month entering the game Sunday. Just five outings.

It’s been a strange season for him.

“Yeah, it’s been a unique year,” Hinch said. “There were times where it didn’t matter and he would just overwhelm guys with stuff. There were times when I was very protective and trying to keep him away from left-handed hitters and give him the perfect pocket to get into.

“And now we’re kind of in the middle.”

Heading into the All-Star break, Hinch plans to be careful with the workload of all relievers. The good news is that Foley has no physical problems.

“I don’t need to be careful with him,” he said. “But I also try to use it wisely, when it’s most impactful. Explosive matches aren’t the best time to use it anyway and I don’t really want him playing it four or five times in six days.

“It’s more fair, don’t use it when you don’t have to and don’t overload it.”

Around the horn

Right-handed Jack Flaherty On Saturday, he extended his scoreless innings streak to 16.2. It was the longest streak for a Tigers pitcher this season and the second-longest streak of Flaherty’s career. He had a scoreless streak of 23 innings from July 26 to August 13, 2019. Flaherty ranks second among American League pitchers with 11.59 strikeouts per 9 innings and a strikeout-to-score ratio of 9, 09. His 100 strikeouts rank third.

On deck: Atlanta Braves

▶ Series: Three games at Truist Park, Atlanta

▶ First pitch: Monday to Tuesday — 7:20 p.m.; Wednesday — 12:20 p.m.

▶ TV/radio: Monday to Wednesday — Bally Sports Detroit/97.1 FM

▶ Likely: Monday – RHP Reese Olson (1-8, 3.68) vs. LHP Max Fried (6-3, 3.20); Tuesday — RHP Casey Mize (1-4, 4.43) vs. RHP Spencer Schwellenbach (0-2, 6.32); Wednesday — LHP Tarik Skubal (8-2, 2.20) vs. RHP Reynaldo Lopez (4-2, 1.69).

Reconnaissance report

▶ Olson, Tigers: The Gainesville, Ga. native has never pitched in his home state. He pitched once against the Braves at Comerica Park and it went poorly (seven runs, six earned, in 3.1 innings). He is fighting to get out of a difficult period. In his three starts in June, he allowed 18 runs (17 earned) in 14.2 innings. He had allowed one home run in his first 56.1 innings. He is entitled to three this month.

▶ Fried, Brave: He was hit by the Orioles last time out (four runs in five innings), but in the previous five starts he was perfect, allowing just six earned runs in 35.1 innings with 35 strikeouts and now his opponents at an average of 0.187. . Left-handed hitters, however, upset him. In 70 plate appearances, they are slashing .375/.429/.547, doing big damage against his four-seamer (.636), sinker (.368) and cutter (.500).

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@cmccosky

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