'Little cramp' ends Detroit Tigers righty Reese Olson's day early vs Toronto Blue Jays

Yahoo

18-05-2025

TORONTO — Detroit Tigers right-hander Reese Olson started feeling something unusual late in his outing against the Toronto Blue Jays.
It was an irritation in the ring finger of his throwing hand, something that seemed to become more pronounced while throwing his changeup. 'Kind of little weird,' he said. 'Maybe a little cramp. I'm not too worried about it.'
Advertisement
But the Tigers took no chances. They took Olson out after he completed six innings of scoreless, one-hit ball against the Blue Jays on May 17. 'He said his ring finger on his right hand started bothering him on some of his pitches,' Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said after the Blue Jays beat the Tigers with a ninth-inning walk-off single, 2-1.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Reese Olson (45) pitches to the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning at Rogers Centre in Toronto on Saturday, May 17, 2025.
Celebrate 125 seasons of the Tigers with our new book!
Olson said he has never experienced that kind of irritation before. It was not a blister, according to Hinch.
'For whatever reason, you get these little things throughout the year, in outings here and there,' Olson said.
Advertisement
Olson threw 85 pitches (54 of them strikes). But Hinch said Olson's pitch count had nothing to do with the end of his outing. It was the finger.
'I think I probably would have been fine but played it safe,' Olson said.
QUIET RIOT: Secret of Reese Olson? That blank baby face with rosy cheeks hides a burning desire
The news about the finger was the only negative for Olson after this outing. He was simply magnificent against the Blue Jays, recording six strikeouts while walking just one.
'He was really good,' Hinch said. 'Early on, he was kind of going toe-to-toe with their pitching staff and getting his outs. He got some good double play balls which were important. He used his stuff effectively. So overall, he was pretty good.'
Advertisement
It was the fourth time this season that Olson has held a team scoreless. And it was far better than his last outing on May 11, when he lasted just four innings and gave up three runs against Texas.
'I was just commanding them a little bit better than I did my last outing,' Olson said. 'When I can stick the four-seam and sinkers down and kind of get them to one side of the plate and command it well, they have to respect that. That's when I get the swing and miss on those pitches.'
The Tigers preach throwing strikes and this was a prime example of why. Against Texas, Olson struggled with his four-seam fastball command, which created a ripple of negativity with his other pitches. 'So they don't really have to respect the off-speed stuff,' Olson said. 'Then I made some mistakes off of the off-speed, and they took advantage of it last time.'
But against the Blue Jays, it was the opposite. He commanded both his fastballs and everything else worked off of that.
Advertisement
'Today was more of sticking the four seam down and away to lefties and the sinker getting it in there a little bit to righties,' he said. 'Then once I establish that, that's when they have to respect the off-speed stuff.'
MORE SEIDEL: Chet Lemon did more off the field than he ever did for the Detroit Tigers
His only walk was a 12-pitch battle against catcher Tyler Heineman.
'A frustrating at-bat,' Olson said.
But it was wiped away by a double play.
Overall, Olson was happy with his fastball command. 'When I can command both my heaters, it kind of opens up the change up and the slider to where they have to respect the heater,' Olson said. 'So that's when I get the chases on everything else.'
Advertisement
Contact Jeff Seidel: [e-mail]. Follow him on X @seideljeff.
Order your copy of 'Roar of 125: The Epic History of the Detroit Tigers!' by the Free Press at Tigers125.PictorialBook.com
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers 'played it safe' by pulling Reese Olson vs Blue Jays