Beau Brieske was 28 and had played in parts of five seasons with the Tigers.
A report in The Detroit News described how the reliever brought a curveball back from a stint at Triple-A Toledo. He had stopped using it after moving to the bullpen.
Why Beau Brieske wanted another pitch
He had transitioned from starter to reliever.
Nerve issues in his arm had also forced him to adjust his arsenal.
Brieske told the publication he wanted a pitch that moved straight down to help his fastball. His changeup moved away from left-handed hitters, while his slider moved away from right-handed hitters. The report described how he felt those sideways shapes had become easier for hitters to cover.
A different speed alongside the fastball
His changeup and slider averaged around 89 mph.
He wanted to get the curveball up to 85 mph.
The report described how a fourth speed could leave hitters late on a fastball or early on a slower offering.
A return to an old grip
He last threw a curveball in 2022, when it was a 78-mph pitch.
His changeup had also been slower, at 82 mph. He told the publication that nerve problems had affected his ability to throw that slower changeup. He said he had not regained the same speed difference.
For the curveball, he began with his old grip and tried different thumb positions. He settled on a modified grip that kept the same seam orientation.
An early test against the Twins
He threw seven curveballs against the Twins on September 1. Six went to right-handed hitters. The report suggested adrenaline probably made it firmer than he wanted, at 86.6 mph.
None were put in play, and he recorded one whiff on two swings. Brieske stressed the need to build up carefully when adding a pitch.
The report described Brieske as facing the possibility of being non-tendered in his second year of arbitration. It described his goal as showing his best version and helping the Tigers win.
