Boyd a standout for Tigers' final rotation spot

LAKELAND, Fla. -- The Tigers are running out of innings to keep stretching out candidates for their rotation. Matthew Boyd keeps pitching his so effectively, so efficiently, that it's becoming tougher to see anyone else winning the open spot.
"I'm grateful for how I've thrown this spring and grateful for the opportunity I've had," Boyd said after five scoreless innings in Friday's 3-2 win over the Braves. "Where I end up, it's out of my control."
Boyd has done as much as he can to try to capture the job. Boyd has struck out 21 and walked none this spring, an amazing ratio for somebody entering his third Major League season. After battling fly-ball tendencies and ill-timed home runs last spring on his way to Triple-A Toledo, he has yet to allow a ball to clear the fences this spring.
"He continues to pitch consistently well," manager Brad Ausmus said. "As well as anyone in camp."
Expecting those droughts to continue in the regular season is unrealistic. But the trends and adjustments behind those feats show the maturation of a young pitcher, from changing speeds to reading swings.
"Experience always helps, right?" Boyd said. "I have a year more experience, a lot more time refining my game, working with my delivery, working with all four pitches. And confidence kind of comes with that. So that's been the big thing."
The only time Boyd came close to a walk Friday was a 3-0 count to, of all batters, his Braves pitching counterpart, Julio Teheran. Boyd spotted a fastball for strike one, then induced a ground ball to first base for the second out of the third inning.
Boyd threw 47 of his 60 pitches for strikes. He pitched so efficiently that he had to throw two more innings to Minor League hitters on the back fields to reach his pitch count of 90. He struck out three more hitters there without a walk, throwing 24 of 31 pitches for strikes.