DETROIT -- Catcher Alex Avila considers it virtually unhittable.

Starter Max Scherzer calls it "one of the best breaking balls in the league right now."

The scariest part? Detroit Tigers pitcher Al Alburquerque claims his jaw-dropping slider that has bewildered big-league hitters since his arrival a few months ago will only get better with time.

It hasn’t quite gained the notoriety Joel Zumaya’s eye-popping fastball achieved during the Tigers’ 2006 World Series, but Alburquerque’s highly touted pitch has swiftly earned the hard-throwing righty a fearsome reputation among his peers.

"It’s hard to pick up that slider," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said.

"The slider changed the game years ago and it’s still a tough pitch. It looks like a fastball, and all of the sudden it disappears down and away — it’s tough."

Alburquerque, 24, has emerged as a dominant strikeout pitcher since being called up April 13 and is rapidly climbing the Tigers’ setup ladder. In 17 2/3 innings this season, he has struck out a bullpen-leading 31 batters -- leading all American League relievers with 15.79 strikeouts per nine innings.

His devastating slider, coupled with a four- and two-seam fastball that regularly touches the mid-90s give Alburquerque (3-1) a promising arsenal of pitches more difficult to solve than a quantum physics equation.

"He’s obviously been a little bit of a mystery to hitters," Leyland said. "And he’s throwing harder now and getting his fastball over a little bit better."

On Wednesday, Alburquerque’s stock increased following a masterful pitch sequence against Minnesota Twins designated hitter Trevor Plouffe that resulted in a bases-loaded, inning-ending called third strike to preserve a late-inning, two-run lead.

"After getting way out in front with the first two sliders, you got the feeling (Plouffe) was probably looking for the slider again, but he threw a 97 mph sinker right in the inside black," Avila said. "When you do that, it’s pretty much unhittable."

The road less traveled

A native of San Pedro de Macoris in the Dominican Republic, Alburquerque said his road to the majors was arduous and oftentimes uncertain.

He missed all of the 2005 season with a strained elbow that resulted in Tommy John surgery, then missed 2008 after a torn shoulder forced more surgery. A migraine sufferer, Alburquerque also missed two months in 2009. Now that the injury-free reliever has finally made it, Leyland said the "happy-go-lucky" Alburquerque is taking full advantage of his new lifestyle, paying particular attention to the pregame and postgame food spread.

"He’s having the time of his life," Leyland said. "He probably wasn’t expecting to be in the big leagues this year, so he’s enjoying it. He probably has never seen a spread like that in there, either.

"That’s quite a culture shock to the kids when they first come up there. They’re not used to that. That Tiger Town bacon and eggs gets old. Up here, it’s a little bit different."

Despite a devastating slider, Alburquerque said he continues to work with Tigers pitching coach Rick Knapp in an effort to better his fastball command, which touched 99 mph Wednesday.

"I tell myself that if I want to pitch in the major leagues, I need to keep working hard," Alburquerque said. "I need to work on my fastball. I know I’ve got a good slider, but if that’s all I throw, hitters will wait for it every time. If I throw my fastball in different spots and then come back to my slider, it’s much more difficult."

Despite Alburquerque’s early-season success, Leyland isn’t 100 percent certain the high-strikeout 24-year-old is completely in the clear. With 17 appearances already under Alburquerque’s belt, Leyland suggested Wednesday that other clubs’ film study likely will help batters better recognize should-be balls, which eventually will even out his absurd strikeout totals.

"He hasn’t pitched that much yet so we’ll have to wait and see as we go on. But, up to this point, they’re still swinging at some bad ones, which is a good thing for us," Leyland said. "But, the better the slider, the more bad pitches batters will swing at."

Alburquerque -- anointed the nickname "Avatar" by several members of Detroit’s bullpen because of his physical resemblance to the movie character -- said he has relied heavily on Joaquin Benoit and Jose Valverde’s veteran leadership.

"I keep talking to Benoit asking for tips," Alburquerque said. "Everybody is trying to help me. They tell me to keep throwing my fastball and tell me I can be unbelievable."

First impressions

A few weeks after he turned 17, Alburquerque signed with the Chicago Cubs where he remained entrenched in their farm system for nearly seven years. Despite promising strikeout totals, consistent command issues and the club’s need for a position player compelled the Cubs to give up on their coveted prospect and deal him to Colorado.

At the time, scouts said he had plenty of upside, but considered him to be a long-term project that would require a steady hands-on approach. This time last year, Alburquerque was playing for the Colorado Rockies’ Double-A affiliate, Tulsa, in the Texas League. While he showed flashes of excellence, he was still unable to answer control problems and posted a dismal average of 4.4 walks per nine innings.

At season’s end, Alburquerque became a free agent and the Tigers took a gamble on him, signing the career minor leaguer to a major league contract. Leyland said a handful of clubs, including the New York Yankees, expressed interest in the free-agent pitcher after a winter ball season in the Dominican Republic where he averaged more than a strikeout per inning.

Because of his age and his inexperience, he was left off the club’s opening day roster and sent to Triple-A Toledo. Before signing with Detroit, Alburquerque had never pitched above Double-A, but eventually was called up to the majors to fill a much-needed hole in Detriot’s bullpen.

His arrival couldn’t have come at a better time for the Tigers.

Three days after Detroit called up Alburquerque from Toledo, the club officially moved Zumaya to the 60-day disabled list. Leyland acknowledged Wednesday the club’s bullpen appeared battered and bruised following Zumaya’s season-ending injury in spring training, but Alburquerque certainly has limited the bleeding.

Since being called up, he has posted a 3.06 ERA and limited opponents’ hitting to .133 against him. On April 30, he became the first Tigers reliever to work at least three innings without allowing a baserunner and striking out at least six since Guillermo "Willie" Hernandez did it on Aug. 16, 1984.

He’s not the club’s closer or its eighth-inning setup man, but Alburquerque quickly is becoming a fan favorite to many because of a slider and fastball combination that can jolt a crowd to its feet.

"We’re just trying to make sure that he doesn’t get too cocky about it," Benoit said. "He’s a young kid that is succeeding and hopefully he keeps doing it."