Victor Martinez, still searching for his first extra-base hit of the season – the longest drought of his career to open a season, was given a day off.
Miguel Cabrera, previously thought to be in line for his first off-day of the season, will start at designated hitter.
Because of the shake-up, Ausmus penned Nick Castellanos into the cleanup spot. It’s the first time this season Castellanos has not hit second. Tyler Collins will start in rightfield and hit second against righty Erasmo Ramirez.
http://m.tigers.mlb.com/news/articl...-to-avoid-pen-sweep-vs-rays/?topicId=26688836
Tigers hope Norris will help to avoid 'pen.
Tigers official site
http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2017/04/20/ausmus-scuffling-v-mart-needs-more-time-video/
Ausmus: Scuffling V-Mart Needs More Time.
CBSDetroit
http://www.blessyouboys.com/2017/4/...inez-slump-detroit-tigers-batting-order-whiff
Victor Martinez has been the Tigers’ worst hitter so far this season.
The Tigers may need to look at other options for the cleanup spot if things don’t turn around soon.
BYBTB
Through 14 games, the 38-year-old Martinez is hitting .204 with a .490 OPS. He doesn’t have a single extra-base hit.
Among the 131 players with at least 55 plate appearances this season, V-Mart ranks 124th in OPS.
It bears mention that he’s not the only notable name at the bottom of this chart. Chicago’s Jose Abreu ranks 122nd (.496), New York’s Curtis Granderson ranks 127th (.450) and Toronto’s Jose Bautista ranks 129th (.415).
Martinez also has some interesting company in extra-base hit purgatory. Among the 172 players with at least 50 plate appearances, only he and Joe Mauer have yet to break through.
In Martinez’ last eight games he’s 6-for-30, with two runs batted in, a walk, seven strikeouts, and sixteen men left on base. He also has just one multi-hit game and no extra base hits all season, but has three multi-strikeout games out of the twelve games he’s played. His batting average is currently .195 on the season.
Not only is he not hitting, he’s not allowing himself to see the number of pitches per plate appearance he used to. The long at-bats and tough pitches fouled off haven’t been at all in evidence so far. His 2016 strikeout rate of 14.8, which was by far the highest of his career, already felt like a harbinger of doom. So far, he’s at 19.6 this year.