Detroit Tigers' Mike Fiers on friend J.D. Martinez: 'He ducked me'

Anthony Fenech | Detroit Free Press

Mike Fiers was just waiting for the opportunity.

He had already texted the group chat when J.D. Martinez, a long-time friend and former teammate at Nova Southeastern University, was not in the Red Sox lineup for Saturday’s game against the Tigers.

The group chat — with Fiers, Martinez and other friends from South Florida — always gets a bit livelier on these days, when they’re scheduled to face each other.

“We had been talking about that all year,” he said.

Martinez, the former Tiger, was out of the lineup one night after making a running catch into the right field wall.

And so when Fiers was asked about his more lively fastball during six-plus shutout innings against, he pounced.

“Maybe I was just mad that J.D. wasn’t in there,” he said. “He ducked me today. … I think he told (Red Sox manager Alex) Cora to get a day off against me.”

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Certainly, that’s what Fiers’ story will be. Never mind Martinez’s career numbers against Fiers coming in — 7-for-14 with two home runs — but for the rest of the season, Martinez’s absence will be remembered in the group chat.

With his best fastball of the season, Fiers posted his best start of the season, pushing his trade value to its highest point. He never fell into much trouble and navigated himself through Boston’s powerful lineup three times, allowing seven hits. He walked three batters and struck out six.

"I did everything I could to keep them off-balance," Fiers said. "That's a really good lineup with a lot of great hitters. It's a tough lineup to get through. But we played great baseball today.”

In the outing, Fiers pushed his season ERA down to 3.49. Teams have been taking note and though Fiers likely isn’t Plan A for many contenders, he offers a much more affordable option than some of the big names on the market. Fiers also profiles as a veteran depth option for when a contender’s next inevitable arm injury hits.

After his not-so-subtle dig at Martinez, Fiers talked about trade possibilities. He’s been traded before: At the trade deadline in 2015, he was traded from the Brewers to the Astros.

“I am just pitching for the Detroit Tigers," Fiers said. "I am trying to focus on every start, every fifth day and give it everything I got. Whatever happens, happens. You see it, you see your name pop up here and there. It happens all the time.

With Michael Fulmer sidelined, Fiers is the Tigers’ most likely trade departure, given the way he’s pitched this season.

“I don’t know if I’m prepared for it, but whether I go to a different team or not, it’s still baseball,” he said. “I’d just be playing in a different city.”

But Fiers did say he would be open to the chance to pitching for a winner.

“Pitching in the playoffs and trying to win a World Series is everyone’s goal in baseball. And it’s always more fun when you win and you’re on a team fighting for that.”

Contact Anthony Fenech: afenech@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @anthonyfenech.