The Detroit Tigers aren’t sure when Alfredo Simon will rejoin the team.
The starting pitcher was placed on the bereavement list on Tuesday in order to tend to his ill father. The right hander missed his start in Oakland and traveled to the Dominican Republic to be with family.
Based on social media updates, it seems that Simon’s father has passed away. The Tigers wouldn’t confirm the report.
Based on an Instagram post today on Alfredo Simon's account, it appears his father has died. Simon has been away from team since Tuesday.
— Chris Iott (@Chris_Iott) May 29, 2015
Major League Baseball rules allow Simon to remain on the bereavement list up to seven days. The veteran is scheduled to start Tuesday in Detroit, but his status remains unclear.
Brad Ausmus said he hasn't reached out to Alfredo Simon yet: "I'm certainly not going to call him and ask when he's coming back right now."
— James Schmehl (@jamesschmehl) May 29, 2015
If the right hander misses his start, Kyle Ryan will get the nod in Simon’s place. The left hander was called up from Triple-A Toledo to fill Simon’s spot. The uncertainty about Simon’s status has forced the Tigers to keep Ryan out of the bullpen for the remaining games this weekend.
Kyle Ryan is lined up to make Alfredo Simon's next start if Simon hasn't returned. That means Ryan isn't an option out of the bullpen now.
— James Schmehl (@jamesschmehl) May 29, 2015
General Manager Dave Dombrowski acquired Alfredo Simon from the Cincinnati Reds in an offseason trade that saw the club part with Eugenio Suarez and Jonathan Crawford. Since the start of the season, Simon has been the Tigers most consistent starting pitcher. The 34-year-old has six quality starts in nine games with a 2.67 earned run average and a 5-2 record. Even though Simon wasn’t expected to anchor the team’s rotation, he has pitched much better than a back-end starter and leads the rotation in wins and ERA.
Meanwhile, Ryan filled in admirably by throwing three innings and giving up just one run against the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday. For the season, Ryan has a 4.67 ERA with 31 strikeouts in 54 innings.
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