Akil Baddoo left Friday’s game after injuring his right quad while running out a grounder. The quad strain ended up sending Baddoo to the 10-day injured list, as the Tigers placed the outfielder on the IL Saturday, and the newly-acquired Nick Solak was called up from Triple-A.
It isn’t clear how much time Baddoo could miss, since while Tigers manager A.J. Hinch told reporters (including Rainer Sabin of the Detroit Free Press) that Baddoo will be “out for the foreseeable future,” the quad strain is on the “mild side.” It’s at least good news that Baddoo has apparently avoided a higher degree of strain, even if the IL stint is a setback for the 24-year-old outfielder.
A Rule 5 pick in December 2020, Baddoo had a very impressive rookie season and seemed to be a surprise building block for a Tigers club that appeared to be turning a corner in 2021. However, like virtually every other Detroit hitter, Baddoo took a big step backwards in 2022, hitting only .204/.289/.269 over 225 plate appearances. The 2023 campaign has continued this inconsistency for Baddoo, but he has taken a step forward from last year, hitting .231/.341/.343 over 168 PA.
The surprising Zach McKinstry has moved into everyday duty in the Tigers’ outfield, which has been a bit of a revolving door due to injuries. Austin Meadows has been sidelined since April because of anxiety issues, while Riley Greene is facing an extended absence due to a stress reaction in his left fibula. On the plus side, Kerry Carpenter was activated off the IL earlier this week, and Matt Vierling may also soon be returning for Monday’s game with the Braves.
Lower-back soreness sent Vierling to the injured list on May 29, but it looks like he could miss only slightly beyond the minimum 10 days. Vierling has already played two minor league rehab games and was in Detroit today being evaluated by team doctors. Acquired from the Phillies as part of the Gregory Soto trade in January, Vierling has hit .241/.297/.352 over 175 PA while playing mostly in right field, but he has also gotten some work at the other two outfield slots and even at second and third base.
In other injury news, the Tigers announced that Matt Manning will start an injury rehab assignment today at Triple-A Toledo. It was exactly two months ago today that Manning suffered a fracture in his right foot, and he has since been transferred to the 60-day IL (though that roster move doesn’t impact his potential return date). Manning will certainly need at least a couple of rehab starts after missing so much time, but it seems plausible that he can return to Detroit’s rotation before the end of June.
The injury bug has been unbelievable for the Tigers this season and they don’t have the depth to compensate. They are not the least bit competitive and it’s the making of a long painful season the rest of the year for us Tigers fans. If only the FO had invested in some real players instead of every utility type 2nd and 3rd basemen out there things may have been different but NO!
Unless he changes his first name from Akil to Scoo, Badoo has lost all marketing value.
How about Yabada?
That’ll doo too!
4 organizations for Solak since spring training and its only june
I know you guys miss candy and Willy and harold
Candy maybe…… but Willy and Harold not a chance
If they would replace Ibanez and Maton, sure.
Ummmhh no.
Jeimer Candelario’s performance isn’t worth what he would be due from the Tigers had he stayed.
Willi Castro can’t field any position very well.
I do miss Harold Castro. He’s a switch hitter who plays all position well except 1 & 2.
According to Fielding Bible, Harold Castro has been average in the corner outfield spots, slightly below average at first base, and horrible at second base, third base, shortstop and center field. He doesn’t hit well either, despite the nickname.
Harold’s numbers with the Rockies are fairly frightening, which is a bit of a surprise.
Hittin’ Harold and Coors Field seemed a match. T’isn’t.
We need Greene back. Watching Jonathan Davis do well with Florida shortly after Greene gets hurt sucks. Baddoo and Vierling splitting time was not too bad. Bit of speed and power for both. Carpenter has been tearing it up since he came back but ideally he is a DH. McKinistry should be playing 2B and Schoop and Ibanez should be cut. Let Kreidler have a third chance instead of trotting those two out. Haase and Baez need to pick it up. Time to ship some pitching out for a young hitter sometime between now and the deadline?
Davis wasn’t doing much better than Parker Meadows. Maybe Harris could see what Parker’s able to do, and if hes not ready, he could be sent back down, unlike Maton and Ibanez (who must have incriminating photos to still be up).
Ibanez should just be cut. As much as I like Maton and think he has a future with the Tigers (albeit as a Utility guy), he has gaps in his hitting right now and needs to sort that out. Lots of walks and some Homer’s keep his OPS over .600 but hitting .160 doesn’t cut it. It would be nice to see what Meadows and/or Malloy have to bring to the table in the OF while Baddoo and Vierling are out. Just a taste even to keep us interested during our 9 game losing streak. I will admit that if Solak could approach his pre-2021 numbers he’d be useful though so im not averse to a test drive with him. All the injuries and the 9 game losing streak puts a big damper on any playoff aspirations so why not cut the dead wood (Ibanez and Schoop) and see who fits for next year and beyond.
This is one of the worst hitting teams I’ve ever seen. The injury situation has been relatively good. The only what-if is Meadows, but apparently his mental health is so severe that he can’t participate in any baseball related activities.
I wish they’d dangle Casey Mize attached to Javy Baez and see who bites. 26 year old Mize is more likely to be Jacob Turner 2.0 than John Smoltz so we should try to move now before the asset loses all value. The only places you can’t trade those guys are the Rays and Braves.
The injury situation is not good. A. Meadows, Carpenter, Vierling, Greene and Baddoo all ended up on the IL. Their outfield was decimated. And of course, their rotation was hit even harder.
Baseball is better when the Tigers are relevant, unfortunately….
move the team to Nashville!
And when was the last time the Preds or Titans won anything?? Stick to making chicken sandwiches
Dee Gordon, Billy Hamilton,
Tapia, Puig, Desmond…I m sure there is 10 more our there!
yerrrrrrrr out!
Jackie Bradly Jr…
19th in Pay roll
25th in attendance….move the team! Nashville could be done in one Day!
It’s sad to see them celebrating in hockey helmet, losing 9-2 or what ever…..
As much as I understand the Illich “consolidation “…..
When my girlfriend (if I had one) shows me pictures of her highly successful lover….it kinda bums me out….
If I could, I would buy the Illiches out. Tiger fans deserve better.
Worked alright tonight…..
I hope BADDO gets healthy. Enjoyed watching him play in Milwaukee. Had fun hearing dozens of fans yelling his last name, from the Upper deck, on 6-dollar Mondays.
Mize is no Turner but he’s no John Smoltz either. He’ll fall somewhere in between and I don’t see him as a number one starter, maybe not a number 2 either. IF (big if) the Tigers traded Mize attaching Baez would just reduce the return. With the price of pitching these days I think he’d generally a decent package, maybe even a near MLB replacement arm and a bat. I highly doubt either scenario happens but I’m sold on him as more than a number 3 or 4 starter right now.
I’d like Cody Bellinger and Smyly for Baez and Mize. We need some good juju vets who can set the tone for our youngsters.
Mize is trending arrow straight down. Sell now while he has some stock value.