Where Was His Stuff?

To those who read Matt Garza’s comments after his seven shutout innings Tuesday night -- that his arm felt “weird” and that he didn’t have his normal velocity -- and were ready to panic, here’s some advice: Don’t.

Garza explained Wednesday that the problem was nothing physical, and it wasn’t even that unusual. “You don’t get out of bed every morning with your best stuff,” Garza said. “Sometimes your fastball just doesn’t have the usual pop. That’s all it is. You go out there with what you’ve got.”

What he had was pretty good. The Tigers -- who, it should be noted, have outscored the major leagues’ second-highest scoring team by an amazing 34 runs, or roughly six percent more -- managed only three hits, and a single, unearned run.

So Garza’s manager wasn’t buying that the pitcher was anything but his best.

“You don’t go through that lineup over there without some good stuff,” Ron Gardenhire said. “He had a great fastball, had a good breaking ball.”

-- Phil Miller