The Detroit Tigers had limped into their series finale against San Diego with only a faint chance of salvaging much from a series that was already lost.
The Padres spent the previous night bludgeoning them, pounding away at a bullpen that collapsed in a 14-3 defeat.
Now, they were sending Alex Faedo to the mound.
Faedo’s return Sunday to the Tigers, following an injury to his right finger and a subsequent rehab stint in the minors, had been met with tepid enthusiasm. Most of the 27-year-old’s time in the big leagues, after all, has been marked by failure.