Seidel: Tigers never know which Sanchez they'll get

Go ahead and scream at the top of your lungs: WHY IN THE WORLD DID HE LEAVE HIM IN?

It's certainly a valid question and understandable. Why did Tigers manager Brad Ausmus leave Anibal Sanchez in the game Sunday afternoon in the sixth inning?

Why didn't Ausmus yank him?

Go ahead and scream again, if it makes you feel any better, because there was plenty to scream about after this game. Scream about that brain-freeze balk that scored a run, or the botched pickle, or the inability to win a game in which the Tigers scored eight runs. But the Tigers botched this game, 10-8, at Comerica Park, ending a disappointing home stand.

But let's go back to Sanchez, and the moment when everything turned. It was the sixth inning, two outs, two guys on. Sanchez was facing Preston Tucker, a pinch-hitter who had hit a pinch-hit home run Thursday. Sanchez had already thrown more than 110 pitches, and the Tigers held a 7-4 lead.

But Ausmus let Sanchez stay in the game. And after the game, Ausmus refused to second-guess himself, even as he was being second-guessed. "This is where we are, in this day and age, if it doesn't work, it was the wrong move," he said. "If it does work, then it was the right move. And, quite frankly, Sanchy, against lefties, with his change-up is very effective."

To be fair, Ausmus has a point. He has the statistics to back up his decision. Sanchez came into this game allowing a .234 batting average against left-handers compared with .293 against right-handers. And until that point, the vast majority of home runs that Sanchez has given up this year have been to right-handed batters (seven) compared with left-handers (three). Even the home run that Sanchez gave up earlier in the inning was to right-handed Evan Gattis.

Now, maybe you will argue that Sanchez was tired and was more susceptible to give up a bunch of runs at that point of the game, but that argument doesn't hold up either. So far this season, Sanchez has been effective with a high-pitch count. Before Sunday, he had exceeded the 100-pitch plateau five times, and he had never given up a run after throwing between 100 and 120 pitches.

Clearly, Ausmus liked the matchup of Sanchez against the left-handed-hitting Tucker. And the stats were in Sanchez's favor.

"He's actually better against lefties than he is against righties," Ausmus repeated.

So the stats supported the decision to keep him in the game. There was some logic to it, and Sanchez actually threw the pitch he wanted against Tucker. A low change-up. Then Tucker just blasted it out of the park, tying the game.

Which brings is to the real problem. Sanchez has given up 11 home runs this season, and that's a red flag that is blowing in the winds of trouble.

"Yeah, it's a little bit of a concern now," Ausmus acknowledged.

And so, the enigma of Sanchez continues.

He has turned into a strange mystery, a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde on the mound.

In this game, he struck out 11 batters, which is the good Sanchez.

But he also allowed seven earned runs, which is the bad Sanchez.

"His stuff is electric at times, as his strikeouts indicate," Ausmus said. "Then, he gets some balls up and they land in the seats."

In his three wins, Sanchez has given up four runs and no home runs.

In the seven other games, he has given up 38 runs, including 11 home runs. And the Tigers have lost six of them.

"Last outing, I was terrible," Sanchez said. "This outing, I was, too. I want to turn it around at some point."

What's wrong? Sanchez said that he is not hurt. "I'm healthy," he insisted. But he acknowledges he is frustrated. "It's a hard situation," he said. "Of course, I'm concerned, basically because the team lost. I don't feel good with the situation that I have now."

Clearly, this is not the same pitcher who pitched so brilliantly for the Tigers over the last two years. Something has changed. But nobody can figure out what's wrong. It's an unsolved mystery. And it's enough to make you want to scream in frustration.

Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @seideljeff.

What's the matter with Sanchez?

Anibal Sanchez has struggled in his 10 starts this season. Here's how he fared in his first 10 starts of 2014 compared with this season:

Source: baseball-reference.com