Tigers starting pitcher Justin Verlander took a step in the right direction Saturday at Tampa Bay toward fixing his command problems. Verlander said he made an adjustment with his shoulder angle, which helped him pitch past five innings for the first time in three starts.
"It’s not major," Verlander said, per the Detroit Free Press. "My fastball command was a lot better. We saw that when I was going to the plate (in recent starts), the angle of my shoulders was very tilted and I couldn’t see where I was throwing the ball."
Manager Jim Leyland also gave Verlander high marks for his performance Saturday.
"I thought he got good as the game went along," Leyland said Sunday. "That’s the best he’s thrown for a while. He was throwing firmer, and I think that helped his curve and changeup."