After Bobby Seay was used for the third straight game last night against the Yankees, the question was who would be available out of the bullpen if the Tigers needed a situational left-hander for the next two games? (Jim Leyland seems to think Nate Robertson isn't suited for that role.) That little dilemma has been taken care of, according to the Freep's John Lowe.
Clay Rapada has been called up from Triple-A Toledo. Going down to make room for him on the roster is Jeff Larish.
Rapada has pitched in eight games so far this season for the Mud Hens, giving up four runs and 10 hits in six innings. However, he's also struck out seven batters. Last year with Detroit, Rapada went 3-0 with a 4.22 ERA in 25 appearances.
This is a tough break for Larish, who made the team out of Spring Training, and looked to be a valuable left-handed power bat for the Tigers. However, with the emergence of Josh Anderson, and the speed he's added to the lineup, Larish just wasn't getting off the bench lately.
It'll be interesting to see if this turns out to be a somewhat temporary move, as Seay needs a rest for this current series and Leyland likely prefers another lefty against the likes of Grady Sizemore, Victor Martinez, and Travis Hafner when the Tigers play the Indians this weekend.
(Hat tip to Kurt, who's apparently much more alert at his computer than I am. It's probably a good thing he's filling in here!)