Brad Ausmus: Tigers still hope Anibal Sanchez can pitch this season

The Detroit Tigers have faced a lot of adversity in the last few weeks, far more than most people probably expected for them after they acquired David Price at this year’s trade deadline.

More from Detroit Tigers

• MLB standings ordered by hard hit rate: Struggling Cardinals still cracking bats
• MLB rumors: Justin Verlander buzz, Astros target All-Star, Reds-White Sox deal
• Tigers young star takes vicious shot at Royals pitcher over sticky stuff allegations
• Immaculate Grid baseball: Answers, connections, hints for Grid 105 (July 16)
• Immaculate Grid baseball: Answers, connections, hints for Grid 102 (July 13)

Their issues have stemmed from a variety of issues, ranging from poor play to injuries to a hot streak from the Kansas City Royals, who are now in first place.

Key among their injuries was the pectoral injury that landed starting pitcher Anibal Sanchez on the disabled list. That sounded like an ominous injury for a pitcher from the start, and proved to be just that when Sanchez had a setback in his rehab this week. That setback was so significant that there were grumblings that Sanchez could now be out for the season.

On that point, manager Brad Ausmus insists that they still hope to see Sanchez back this season:

That might be genuine hope and it might be posturing, but nevertheless this is an important story to monitor as this 2014 season comes down the home stretch.

For the Tigers, Sanchez is a key member of the rotation behind Price and Max Scherzer. Justin Verlander might be the more familiar name, but Sanchez and his 3.46 ERA is the true no. 3 in what the Tigers would hope would be a playoff rotation.

If Sanchez does return it won’t be anytime soon, but it is better news for the Tigers than finding out definitively that he is gone for the rest of the season and potentially the playoffs.