Detroit — Daniel Stumpf walked past the throng of reporters encircling left-hander Blaine Hardy after the game and said, “An interview with the Tigers’ ace.”
Hardy, forever self-effacing and unassuming, snarked, “Yeah, OK.”
Maybe three starts provide insufficient data for such a proclamation, but make no mistake about it, Hardy’s rapid transformation from versatile reliever to starting pitcher has been a godsend for the Tigers.
“That was a great performance,” manager Ron Gardenhire said after Hardy pitched seven strong innings in the Tigers’ series-clinching 3-2 win Sunday over the White Sox. “Him holding up through seven innings today was huge for this baseball team.