In a season where there were high hopes surrounding the starting pitching, especially the likes of Michael Fulmer, Daniel Norris, and Matthew Boyd, there was one name that was never in the mix for pitching MVP, and that was Blaine Hardy. The lefty reliever didn’t even make the team out of spring training, and most believed that if he made it back to Detroit in the season it would be to offer LOOGY support to a flagging bullpen.
Then, something happened in Toledo.
And not only that, he started well.