Kyle Lobstein Is Giving the Detroit Tigers an Unexpected Boost

Kyle “Who,” did I hear you say?

For those not acquainted, meet the Tigers’ No. 5 starting pitcher Kyle Lobstein. The guy with the unusual surname has quietly racked up some fine numbers for Detroit so far in 2015: 3-2, 3.00 ERA (3.25 FIP).

Nobody—not even Tigers fans—saw this coming. If all had gone to script this year, Lobstein would be plying his trade right now at Triple-A Toledo. With no vacancies left on Detroit’s staff late this spring, Lobstein was cut from the squad and sent packing on March 25.

Then, fate struck for the Tigers and the lanky lefty. Just when everything was going peachy keen for Justin Verlander, he landed on the disabled list with a strained triceps. Lobstein was then given the call and has been as good as anybody—barring David Price—in Detroit’s rotation since.

He hurled his latest gem against the White Sox on Thursday afternoon at U.S. Cellular Field.

This shutdown performance came at an ideal time for his team. It snapped a mini two-game losing streak and levelled its gruelling 10-game AL Central road trip at five wins and five defeats.

Lobstein was not just in control of the ball in this outing. Like a cunning snake charmer, he also appeared to be manipulating the minds of Chicago hitters: “We seem like we let the one go right down the middle and then we'd swing at the ball in the dirt. ... He's a deek-and-dive type of guy, but he was very effective today,” explained White Sox outfielder Adam Eaton, per Jason Beck of MLB.com.

Unlike staff mates Price and Anibal Sanchez, Lobstein does not possess high-strikeout velocity. According to FanGraphs, his average fastball has clocked in at only 86.7 miles per hour this year. Jamie Moyer, eat your heart out.

Fear is simply not a part of Lobstein’s makeup. Minus the fact that he stands 6’3” tall, Lobstein really couldn’t be less intimidating. His bespectacled, clean-shaven appearance gives him a "frat boy down the dormitory corridor" kind of look.

Lobstein’s history is similarly unprepossessing. Detroit bought him from the Mets four years ago for undisclosed cash on the same day New York had plucked him from Tampa Bay in the Rule 5 draft.

His minor league numbers also don’t jump off the screen at you. Last year at Toledo, he posted a 9-11 record with a 4.07 ERA. His combined record in two organisations over six seasons was 48-52.

So, what’s enabled Lobstein to bewitch big league hitters in 2015?

It seems that the 25-year-old has an uncanny knack for missing the meat of a hitter’s bat. As evidenced by his ground ball percentage (GB%), most of the contact seems to be on top of the ball. In his four starts prior to the Chicago outing, Lobstein had compiled a 54.1 GB%.

It was more of the same on Thursday afternoon. Another 14 hitters were retired via a ground ball, including two double plays.

Location is obviously a key factor for inducing grounders. If you look at Lobstein’s Brooks Baseball Zone Profile, he is getting the majority of his pitches down in, if not beneath, the strike zone. His only reddish area up in the zone is actually off the plate, where hitters don’t usually get solid contact.

Source: Brooks Baseball

Seeing Lobstein’s offerings as close as anybody is Detroit catcher Alex Avila. He spoke to James Schmehl of MLive about the southpaw: "The thing about him, he's able to control three or four pitches, and that's what makes him tough. ... He can be unpredictable. ... He's not going to 'wow' you with anything, but he's going to go out there and compete."

With his velocity about seven clicks per hour below David Price, Lobstein needs to slice and dice the zone with plenty of variety to be effective. So far, he is doing it to great effect and at a great time with Verlander absent.

It remains to be seen whether Lobstein will be a long-term contributor to Detroit’s rotation. Remember, he is just a replacement, and Verlander (the replaced) has had some positive developments recently in his recovery, per ESPN.  

The wheels have spun pretty smoothly for the Detroit rotation in the absence of Verlander. As a group, they have three more wins than any team in the AL. One must wonder whether manager Brad Ausmus is considering using the 2011 MVP as a reliever.

Detroit’s bullpen still remains shoddy. Joakim Soria has tidied up the ninth inning, but building a bridge to him is still proving troublesome. Wednesday night’s collapse by Joba Chamberlain was just another reminder of the need to upgrade this area.

Some, including Diane Firstman of ESPN, have mooted the idea of Verlander becoming a “super reliever.” This would be something akin to the role that Tim Lincecum played for San Francisco in its 2012 World Series triumph. It would involve regularly contributing multiple innings of relief in high-leverage situations.

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Many fans would oppose this idea given Verlander’s success as a starting pitcher. But, with Lobstein and the others doing so well, it at least deserves some consideration.

It will be interesting to see how it all unfolds. Verlander won’t be back for at least a few weeks, so it’s Lobstein toeing the rubber every fifth day for now. This dart-throwing dark horse will probably gain a bit more recognition, plus a few more admirers, along the way.

Unless otherwise stated, all stats in this article are courtesy of FanGraphs

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