The Detroit Tigers have been one of baseball’s biggest surprises this season, rising from a sub-.500 squad to AL Division Series contenders last year, and now owning the best record in the American League following Memorial Day. But behind their success lies a troubling theme: a relentless string of injuries.
Since spring training, Detroit’s roster has been riddled with health issues, with at least eight players still sidelined including high-priced offseason pitching addition Alex Cobb, signed for $15 million.
The outfield, in particular, has been hit hard. Prior to last Friday, Parker Meadows, Wenceel Pérez, and Matt Vierling hadn’t logged a single appearance this season after playing a combined 168 games in center field in 2024.
The Tigers finally got a boost last Friday when Matt Vierling was activated from the injured list. Manager A.J. Hinch described his return as a “big upgrade” to the outfield. Vierling had been rehabbing a strained rotator cuff.
But just four days later, that optimism was dashed. Vierling was placed back on the 10-day IL after experiencing renewed shoulder soreness following Monday’s game against the Giants. According to The Detroit News, there wasn’t a specific incident that caused the flare-up he simply reported discomfort postgame.
“We sent him for tests and had him evaluated,” Hinch explained. “We need more information, but we can’t take any risks given his recent shoulder history.”
In his short return, Vierling went 2-for-11 at the plate, but there’s no clear timeline for his recovery this time.
Despite the setback, the Tigers did receive some positive news: Wenceel Pérez was activated after a short rehab stint. The 24-year-old switch-hitter, praised by Hinch as “a fun, impactful player,” is expected to rotate through all three outfield spots, adding much-needed depth and flexibility to the lineup.
