Spencer Turnbull pitched only three games for the Toledo Mud Hens on his way from Alabama to the Detroit Tigers. He’s about to add to that total.

The Tigers announced on Sunday that Turnbull had been optioned to their Triple-A affiliate, sending the right-hander’s comeback from Tommy John surgery on a detour.

“Obviously, he’s struggled every outing, showing glimpses of pretty good performance, even doing a few good things yesterday,” Detroit manager A.J. Hinch said on Sunday. “But at the end of the day, it’s just unsustainable, the way we were going about it. … Everything was kind of stagnant performance-wise, so we need to get him executing better, which I think even he said himself yesterday.”

Turnbull pitched a no-hitter in the Tigers’ 5-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners on May 19, 2021. But three games later, Turnbull left his start against the Chicago White Sox on June 4, 2021, because of forearm soreness in his pitching arm. Damage to the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow sent him to Tommy John surgery, and Turnbull missed the 2022 season.

In seven starts this season, Turnbull worked 31 innings with a 1-4 record and 7.26 earned-run average. He yielded 37 hits and 15 walks and struck out 24.

In Saturday’s 6-5 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals, Turnbull worked the first 4.2 innings and yielded five runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out six.

“I don’t know why the inconsistency’s still there,” Turnbull said after Saturday’s game. “It’s very frustrating for me personally, and I’m sure for my coaches, as well.”

In two seasons at Alabama, Turnbull had a 9-10 record with a 2.95 earned-run average in 30 starts. In 183.1 innings, he struck out 112 and yielded 153 hits and 85 walks. Turnbull left the Crimson Tide after the Tigers chose him in the second round of the 2014 draft.

Turnbull reached the big leagues late in the 2018 season.

Turnbull pitched in four games in 2018 and had a 6.06 ERA. In 2019, he made 30 starts with a 4.61 ERA. During the coronavirus pandemic-affected 2020 season, Turnbull had a 3.97 ERA in 11 starts. Before getting hurt in 2021, he had a 2.88 ERA in nine starts.

“This team needs him,” Hinch said. “We need him to be better than he’s been. We need the good version of him, and, hopefully, this stint in Triple-A will get him there.”

To take Turnbull’s spot on the roster, the Tigers called up pitcher Alex Faedo from the Mud Hens. Faedo made his 2023 MLB debut on Sunday. He gave up three runs (two earned) on three hits, including two home runs, in working the first 4.2 innings of Detroit’s 12-6 loss to St. Louis.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.