Here's the latest on Tigers' rotation

This story was excerpted from Jason Beck’s Tigers Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Line changes are associated with hockey, not baseball, but the term gets thrown around beyond the ice when teams in other sports make mass changes in a lineup. The Tigers are about to undertake a line change in their rotation, or close to it.

It’s a rarity for a team in a season. The Tigers are going to do it in midsummer.

When rookie starter Reese Olson fell to the ground Thursday in Texas, clutching his left knee after taking a comebacker off the inside of it, the feeling of dread among the Tigers and their fans was palpable. It’s not just that it was tough to watch; it’s that the Tigers have had to watch something similar so many times. Olson’s initial diagnosis was a left knee contusion; manager A.J. Hinch told reporters after the game that X-rays were negative.

Three days before Olson, Matthew Boyd threw a pitch to the backstop and knew immediately something had happened in his elbow. He left without a warmup pitch, and was eventually diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament, leading to season-ending Tommy John surgery.

An inning after Boyd’s injury, there was Will Vest slipping off the mound after a pitch and hobbling, leaving with right knee discomfort.

Two months ago, there was Matt Manning taking a comebacker off his right foot in Toronto, fracturing a bone. He rejoined the Tigers' rotation on Tuesday.

That doesn’t count the less traumatic but still costly injuries to Eduardo Rodriguez (ruptured pulley in left index finger), Alex Faedo (cracked fingernail on right middle finger) and Spencer Turnbull (neck). Or Tarik Skubal’s flexor tendon injury last August in Minnesota.

Skubal had another effective rehab start Wednesday for Triple-A Toledo, allowing two unearned runs in the first inning before settling down for four innings on three hits with two walks and four strikeouts, his fastball topping out at 97 mph. Whenever he returns, possibly next Tuesday at home against Oakland, he’ll become the 13th different pitcher to start a game for the Tigers this season. (Or he could be the 14th, if the Tigers use a new starter such as just-promoted Zach Logue on Saturday in Colorado.) By contrast, the Tigers used 17 different starters last year in a season where seemingly everything that could go wrong injury-wise, did.

It would take a lot for the Tigers to get to 17 again, but with starter-turned-reliever Beau Brieske nearing a return after a season-opening stint on the injured list, and Casey Mize progressing well in his rehab from Tommy John surgery, and potential moves looming at the Trade Deadline, Detroit could come close. Before that, they’ll have a mass change ahead of the All-Star break.

A week or so ago, the Tigers' rotation consisted of Boyd, Olson, Michael Lorenzen, Joey Wentz and a bullpen game. Lorenzen could be the only starter from that group left, depending on whether Olson misses time. Here’s how things could play out over the next few weeks:

• Skubal appears on track to return next week, as soon as Tuesday’s series opener against Oakland.

• Rodriguez tossed 4 1/3 scoreless innings with three hits, a walk and four strikeouts Thursday for Toledo in what will likely be his lone rehab start. He could join Skubal in the Tigers’ rotation next week.

• Faedo was scheduled to begin a rehab assignment Tuesday for High-A West Michigan, but threw live BP in Toledo instead when the Whitecaps game was postponed due to poor air quality. He could ramp up relatively quickly, given the nature of his injury and the fact that he hasn’t missed much time.

• Turnbull was cleared to throw a touch-and-feel bullpen session this week. The Tigers have been relatively cautious with him.

The Aug. 1 Trade Deadline adds another dimension to the rotation picture. Rodriguez, who has an opt-out in his contract at season’s end, was potentially the top starter on the trade market before his injury. A string of solid starts could generate interest again. Lorenzen has had his ups and downs -- seven starts with one or no earned runs allowed, five starts with five runs or more, one in between -- but could be an intriguing trade candidate on a one-year contract.