Brad Ausmus Tells Jeff Riger To "Get The Panic Rolling" [VIDEO]

By: Evan Jankens
@kingofthekc

Matt Boyd didn't allow a hit through 5 innings for the Tigers leading them to a 2-1 win over the Minnesota Twins.

Boyd was relieved after the sixth after only allowing 1 hit and no runs by the Tigers bullpen which is a shaky situation early on in the 2017 season. Shane Greene was first up and allowed 1 hit and a walk in his third of an inning. Kyle Ryan came on to try to get out of the jam. Ryan finished the seventh without allowing a hit or a walk.

Justin Wilson, the Tigers new setup man, came on in the eighth while walking one batter.

Then came the ninth in which closer Frankie Rodriguez toed the mound. It wasn't pretty. K-Rod gave up 3 hits and a run but held on for the save which gave the Tigers their fifth win of the season.

After a win Tuesday afternoon over the Minnesota Twins 2-1, our Jeff Riger wanted to know what manager Brad Ausmus thought about his bullpen.

"How unsettling is the bullpen for you right now? Riger asked. "Today, Greene struggles a little bit, obviously K-Rod struggles a little bit, I know these guys have been pitching a decent amount, but is it too early in the season to think about something like that? It seems like it's harder for you then maybe it should be on a given night or day."

"No, guys are doing their jobs and sometimes they're going to be successful, sometimes they're not; it's not always going to go smooth. But please start the panic," Ausmus said, to laughs in response from  other reporters laugh.

"That's what we do best, Riger replied."

"I know — get the panic rolling," Ausmus said, continuing:

"The nature of a closer, especially when he comes into the game, it's always a tight game, so if you have a base runner on a lot of times it's the tying or winning run and they're not going to be perfect every time but he did what his job is and that's to get the save and preserve the victory."

"I don't think the fan base needs me to start the panic," Riger replied.

"But, yeah, you don't hurt it," Ausmus said.

I think the question was a good one by Riger but maybe a little too early on in the season, especially since the team is off to a 5-2 start when I would guess many people thought the team would be awful.

Ausmus was also right with his response. My question to you is this: Are you "unsettled" by the Tigers bullpen, or do you think they will continue to get the job done throughout the course of the season?

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• Detroit Tigers