LAKELAND, Fla. – Kenta Maeda is headed back to the Tigers’ bullpen to open the season, moving the club closer to resolving the final two spots in its rotation.

The move with Maeda, while expected, came down Friday, giving the soon-to-be 37-year-old right-hander time to adjust to the role. He’ll throw a multi-inning relief outing Saturday against the Braves, then throw a single inning early next week during the Tigers’ two-game exhibition series against the Giants at Oracle Park.

“What we saw from Kenta this spring was really good,” manager A.J. Hinch said Friday. “This guy doesn’t walk people. He’s striking out guys. He did have one bout with sickness, but had a really good spring. Couple wind-blown home runs [against the Yankees on March 10], but the power was up, his fastball was up, his split was good, and we’re going to utilize him, and I told him that.”

Maeda is 0-2 with a 5.68 ERA in four games this spring, including three starts. Most of the damage he allowed came in that aforementioned outing against the Yankees, who hit three first-inning home runs off him on a windy afternoon at George M. Steinbrenner Field. He finished with five runs on seven hits in four innings that day.

The damage shrouds what has otherwise been an encouraging spring for Maeda, who reported to camp last month further ahead in his throwing program than he did last year. His fastball, which was struggling to cross the 90 mph threshold at times last year, has consistently sat around 92-93 mph, setting up a splitter that has been a big swing-and-miss pitch for him.

Maeda has compiled an impressive 19-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 12 2/3 innings this spring. He has fanned five batters in each of his past three outings, not including a simulated game Wednesday opposite Jackson Jobe.

“Obviously moving him to the ‘pen to start the season is one thing, and who knows if there’s a chance for him to start some games for us,” Hinch said. “But I do like the progress that he showed. We’re happy with the work that he put in, and I don’t want this transition to the bullpen to negatively impact that.”

Jobe and Casey Mize remain the likely front-runners for rotation spots after Tarik Skubal, Jack Flaherty and Reese Olson. However, Keider Montero has maintained a big push for a spot, entering his start Friday against the Yankees with 9 2/3 innings of four-run ball along with five walks and 13 strikeouts.

Vierling resumes hitting
The good news for Tigers outfielder/third baseman Matt Vierling is that his three-week checkup exam on his rotation cuff went well, allowing him to pick up his shoulder strengthening exercises while beginning a hitting progression. He can do pretty much everything but throw at this point.

And that’s the counterbalance: Patience is still required while the Tigers eagerly await Vierling’s return and a chance to add his impact bat and defense back into the mix at third base and center field. Still, as Vierling said, it shows things are trending upward.

“It’s encouraging news. It’s just a slow process,” Hinch said. “And I think as we wind down camp, I feel for him because he’s not going to go with us. He’s ready to fast-forward more so than necessarily where he’s at rehab-wise. So we will take a step-by-step process with him. I’m encouraged by how he’s doing.”

Vierling will remain in Lakeland while the Tigers head to the West Coast. He’s expected to rejoin the team in time for the home opener April 4 against the White Sox.

Tarik Skubal, road warrior
Normally, a Cy Young Award winner would get his pick of whether to start at home or on the road for a split-squad set. And Skubal did. But the lefty chose the road, and a chance to face a lineup of Orioles regulars in Sarasota on Friday.

Skubal responded with nine strikeouts over six innings of three-hit ball. His lone run allowed was a Gary Sanchez home run in the fifth.

“He does relish in the competition and wants to see the ‘A’ lineup,” Hinch said. “I texted [O’s manager] Brandon Hyde that Skubal was coming, and of course he responded by putting in his all-right-handed lineup and Cedric Mullins. It looks like a lineup he would face if we were in Baltimore or Detroit, and I know he loves that to give him a little bit of an edge for his last outing before Opening Day.

“He told me he wants to travel every start. I’m going to talk him off that ledge by the time we get back next season, to maybe give him a few miles off.”