Tigers manager: Wilson will 'probably' take over closer's role

Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus intimated Saturday that Alex Wilson will get the first opportunity to handle the ninth inning following the departure of Joakim Soria, who was traded to Pittsburgh on Friday.

"I'll probably use (Alex) Wilson at the back end, maybe (Blaine) Hardy at the back end if there are lefties," Ausmus told Chris Iott of MLive.com. "(Neftali) Feliz and (Bruce) Rondon hopefully can stretch through the seventh and eighth somehow."

Though Feliz has considerable ninth-inning experience and Rondon is often cited as a potential closer, Wilson leads the relief corps with a 1.89 ERA in 38 appearances this season, albeit with a below-average 15.8 percent strikeout rate.

"These things can't be handed out," Ausmus said. "You've got to earn them. Other than Wilson, really - and Hardy's pitched pretty well - we haven't had anyone that's pitched well enough that we say, 'hey, we can pitch him in the seventh,' or, 'we can pitch him in the eighth.' There's been too much inconsistency."

Wilson made 82 appearances over parts of three seasons in the majors before logging the first save of his career Thursday, but his 1.83 ERA since the beginning of 2014 ranks ninth among qualified American League relievers.