The Tigers are facing a few injuries in their outfield mix, with each of Matt Vierling, Parker Meadows and Wenceel Pérez battling health issues. Vierling has already been ruled out for Opening Day due to a rotator cuff strain and Meadows might not make it for the opener either.
Meadows has been experiencing a nerve issue in his upper right arm. He tells Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press that the issue is with the musculocutaneous nerve specifically, which isn’t progressing much. Meadows still hasn’t been cleared to throw, which obviously means he can’t play, though he has been doing some other activities that don’t involve throwing.
“He’s not full go,” manager A.J. Hinch said today. “He’s just making incremental steps, whatever that means. And he’s not ready for games. He’s not close to games right now, but that can change as soon as soon as we shake this nerve up, wake it up. Things are better than they were, but still not full go.” Meadows still thinks he can be ready by Opening Day but that will obviously be dependent on things improving in the next week or two.
Pérez has some back tightness and was supposed to return to the lineup today but that has not come to pass and he might be held out of tomorrow’s game as well. With Vierling and Meadows hurt, Pérez would have been a logical candidate to jump into the outfield but his back issues make that a bit iffy. Hinch downplayed the concern, saying that the club is just being “uber cautious”, but it’s yet another question mark for the club.
Riley Greene will be in one outfield spot and could perhaps be joined by Meadows and/or Pérez. If not, Kerry Carpenter could take some time out there, letting Spencer Torkelson get some time as the designated hitter. Justyn-Henry Malloy is also on the 40-man and the Tigers also have utility players Andy Ibáñez and Zach McKinstry as potential contributors.
Some other notes from around the American League…
- Orioles utility player Jorge Mateo is recovering from last year’s elbow surgery. A month ago, general manager Mike Elias stated that Mateo was unlikely to be ready by Opening Day, but the player himself is now feeling a bit more optimistic. “I think we’re going to make it,” he said this week to Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun. That could be a key development for the O’s since shortstop Gunnar Henderson is battling an intercostal strain and it’s unclear if he’ll be ready for Opening Day himself. Even if Henderson is good to go, having Mateo on the roster next to him would give the club a bit more cover at the position.
- Royals right-hander Carlos Estévez signed a two-year, $22MM deal with the Royals about six weeks ago but still hasn’t made his spring training debut with his new club. The reliever has been battling some back tightness which has put him a bit behind schedule. Manager Matt Quatraro today provided a positive update to Anne Rogers of MLB.com, saying that Estévez threw live batting practice yesterday, which went “really well.” That puts him in line to make his Cactus League debut on Friday. With about two weeks until Opening Day, Estévez should be able to avoid the injured list if he doesn’t hit any setbacks between now and then.
When was the last season Detroit had a Meadows not on the IL a majority of the season?
Some of these guys are injured more often than football players. Baseball used to be considered a no contact, limited injury sport. But that was before guys learned how to milk the injured list.
It’d be quite the amazing experiment to see how drastic the IL looks over course of season if players didn’t receive full pay while on it. Like if players got just 90% on 7 day/10 day and 85% on 60 day, how that would change things. I mean I’m sure it would never happen, but in NFL for example players only receive game checks and bonus for playoffs, they don’t get checks in preseason and all that, so there must be a way legally MLB could institute it.
It’d be pretty telling though
I’m not exactly sure why the Tigers wanted Carpenter at DH so badly to begin with, he doesn’t seem too bad in the outfield.
Coming up nobody seemed to like his outfield play, but my eyes say he’s not too bad and he has a strong arm. Gotta find someone to play center though.
Tork was average defensively last year and wants to play in the field more. Tork and Malloy should get lots of looks early if they keep playing well. Jahmai Jones might be worth a look in the OF as well
Oops…I meant Carp was average defensively not Tork. My bad.
@trey… You’re right, Carpenter has proven himself as a serviceable RF but they’re being extra cautious with him as he’s been prone to injury. It’s the same reason they will be hesitant to move Riley Greene back to CF, even though he can play it adequately.
He couldn’t hit lefties
He’s got spine issues
Will Parker Meadows help his brother return to baseball?
If he hasn’t by now, I don’t think he will. I remember it being anxiety issues. I’m thinking, how bad does it have to be for him to throw away a MLB career over it. They’ve never really gone into it though and he’s never gave an interview (that I’m aware of). He just “left the team for personal/mental issues” one day and never came back. Sucks too cuz I couldn’t believe TB gave up a 26 yr old, 300 hitting, 30 and 100 guy for Paredes, who struggled with Detroit. Now I see why. TB knew he was a fruit loop the whole time, but also knew that wouldn’t show in the physical.
Not very nice calling someone names you have no idea what Austin Meadows was dealing with,Sucks for the Tigers but mental health is a real thing.Your remark was plain rude.
Only in this weird era would someone even take the time to virtue signal like that.
Your an idiot.sure u heard that before.Standing up to rude comments is always in style.
What happened to Austin Meadows? Is he okay?
Austin suffers from a debilitating anxiety disorder which has basically ended his professional baseball career. It’s a shame. Like the young, Moonlight Graham, he was good.
I can’t figure out how Parker. A numb nerve in his throwing arm. I’ve never even heard of a pitcher having a musculocutaneous nerve disorder.
It’s a nerve in the armpit. Part of the brachial plexus. Weird.
But I wonder how he is doing in life outside the baseball world. Hopefully he is doing better in some way.
Yes that’s the important thing
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8241242/
Thanks. Great explanation. 7 months for full recovery, though it was a pitcher. It’s been 2+ weeks for Meadows and they have not reported much. He is not throwing and is still waiting for the nerve to “wake up.” It does not sound like it wakes up and is back to normal quickly.
I do not expect Parker Meadows to play until late in the season…if at all in 2025. Anything before July, I would consider a big win.
Same goes for Vierling. Rotator cuff. They need him to play 3B. Again, I’m sanguine on his chances of playing much this year.
Agreed. Unfortunately for the team, it was when Parker came back from injury last season that they started their Cinderella run. Losing him early and for a long spell is disheartening to say the least.
Anxiety. There’s all kinds of medication for that issue so I don’t understand how is it so bad that you throw away a MLB career over it. I’d take Xanax every day if that’s what it’d take and those are highly addictive and dangerous to withdraw from. There’s other stuff besides those tho. I couldn’t believe Tampa traded him, a 300 hitting, 30 and 100, 26 yr old to Detroit for a struggling Paredes. Now I see. They knew he was a basketcase the whole time, but also knew it wouldn’t show in a physical.
Your a real ass aren’t you.
I can be. I’m sure you never are though (rolls eyes)
Tampa didn’t know. Meadows came to Detroit. Made the team and started out raking. Then it started. He came back the following Spring and made the team again. He started out well, again…but then fell ill within the 1st month. I’m sure he tried everything. Nobody gives up on his baseball dreams without trying everything. It’s a very sad story.
i would never be as ignorant as you even on my worse days.i usually don’t bother saying much on here but reading your assanine comment i had to say something not that it’ll faze you.
Yeah, maybe. Very likely that would be medical information shared with other teams through specific medical information release procedures that would not be shared with the media. Nothing underhanded, just practical and private.
I wonder if those meds would be considered performance enhancing?
Parker Meadows is a great young man who had a great end to last season. Hopefully his nerve issue will be resolved soon, and he can get back on the field by Opening Day.
Probably won’t. For some reason, nerve issues take forever. Way longer than muscular, etc
And yet, all of these injuries and different teams wanting/need Outfielders Alex Verdugo is still sitting at home…
Tigers need a CF’er. Verdugo is not a CF’er.
May as well give Malloy a shot first. Them not doing anything with the offense this winter will mean another year of development, unfortunately. They’re gunna struggle to score consistently.
To me, Meteo is more than a utility player. He was the Os starting SS in their winning 2022 season. And he was the starting SS in that 101 win 2023 season, but as planned by the FO, Henderson was gradually getting more and more starts there (and equally at 3rd) as that season progressed. Great to hear he could be good to go. The Birds r in good hands.
Gunnar took ground balls and some swings in the cage today, which is excellent news.
Hi Jeff;
Remember that Meteo is also the backup CF for when they trade Mullins.
Hopefully he’s healthy and will retain his speed. If so, when he’s a FA after the season he should have his pick of teams. His speed on the bases and superlative defensive plays turns games (as you know). He’s one of my favorite players to watch, and may well be the best overall athlete in MLB today.
Look forward to watching him play again this year.
Jorge Mateo is not even close to the best overall athlete in MLB, another poor take from Samuel.
baseball99;
Oh.
I watch at least parts of 400 MLB games a year.
I noticed you didn’t cite who was better. Here’s your chance.
FYI – if you actually watched Mateo play, and understood sports, you’d realize that the man has the speed, strength, and agility to play WR, RB, or DB in the NFL, or G/small F in the NBA. I’ve seen no other player in MLB with that athletic ability.
I’ve seen what Shohei Ohtani can do and I’d say in baseball he’s the greatest athletic talent I’ve seen on the baseball diamond. But Samuel is going to Samuel…
True, Ohtani is an amazing athletic talent. That said; I’d take Mateo’s 2023 ALDS slash line over Ohtani’s 2024 NLDS slash line everytime. Also true, Jorge’s offensive athletic talent is no where close to Ohtani’s, but he’s fearless with it. I question superstar Ohtani’s comfort level in the big moments of big games … Judge too. Show me something O.
No he doesn’t. Have you ever seen a guy like Terrell Owens up close? Even now at 51 he would break Mateo in half, much less when the guy was at peak.
Athletic ability is NOT the same as a successfully performing baseball player as an athlete. Sorry Samuel, your condescending take is absolutely incorrect.
The fact remains that the guy can’t hit, which is essential for a baseball player. A .267 OBP 3 years running. His defense was merely slightly above average in 2024. It doesn’t matter his level of athleticism, his baseball ability makes him a utility player, an emergency replacement.
Being a superior athlete does not directly translate, trust me. I can use myself as an example. In my late 20s I could run a sub 4.7 in the 40, bench 22 reps with 225, do 26 consecutive military pullups, and put up above average NFL combine stats in the other categories and still run a 5:15 mile, all at 6-3 and 195-200. I was a superior athlete and certainly could defend a claim to be among the top 25% of MLB athletes and other than not being quite as quick, in the top half of the athletic NFL positions like DB, WR, or RB. Does that mean I should have been playing in the NFL or MLB? No! I couldn’t even hit a baseball as well as Mateo and I’d be run off the field the first half day of NFL camp.
I was coaching college hockey at 31 and was much stronger and more of an athlete and physically tested better than any of the college kids on the team, but I couldn’t skate and stickhandle like they could (I could hang and even do well in exhibitions, but I never had pro caliber hockey skills)
It is admirable that Mateo’s athleticism and limited baseball-specific success has gotten him millions of dollars in a utility role. Further than I got!
It doesn’t matter if you watch 4000 MLB games a year, I lived being a high level athlete (I was D-1) and coached at the D-1 level in a different sport. There’s a difference between being a superior athlete and having sport-specific skills.
GRod has a sore elbow and got a cortisone injection today. I’ll bet my Pickup Truck he’ll have Tommy John surgery before September. Can’t have enough arms. Ever.
Tigers’ outfield depth is being quietly exposed as a major structural weakness that could force an early-season trade—or even a surprising roster move.
I mean reastically wasn’t too weak. Just unlucky that we basically lost 3 of our top center field options ( if you include baddoo.) How many teams can lose that many options at any 1 position.
They seem to be in okay shape even with three OFers out. Carp can play in the OF and Malloy will get some reps. Jahmai Jones has looked pretty good in camp and they have him focusing on the OF.
Perez and Vierling will be back soon enough and they can patch the hole until then.
Perez is not an every day player.
I’m going to go out on a limb here and say Matt Vierling is going to be lost for the season. He will have rotator cuff surgery.
I’m also pessimistic that Parker Meadows will recover. He’s going to have something done to unpinch that nerve. Nerves just don’t go to sleep. There’s something interfering with conduction from the nerve ending back to the brain…or vice versa. It’s being pinched, infringed on. Very odd injury.
Meadows and Vierling will not play much this year. Just wait.
Their offense is gunna struggle regardless, imo. With them not doing anything this winter, except for getting RP and overpaying for Cobb, which they didn’t even need, it’ll be another year of development. It was a weird off-season for Harris. Torres wasn’t even necessary and is only average. If they can all somehow breakout or at least take a step forward, that’ll be their only shot. That rarely happens tho.
Tigers will be fine, they’ve got quite a few 4A players who can fill in for a bit without to big of a drop. This might actually save Torks career if he can come out hot and force Tigers hand. They might actually have to move Colt to DH or back to 2nd and rotate those positions to keep everyone fresh. Sometimes these little issues turn out as opportunities that push players forward, could end up being a blessing
Agreed. The Tigers have weathered injuries well for the last 2-3 years. I don’t know how Hinch got so many wins from such injury-riddled, mediocre, inexperienced teams.
The problem is their entire lineup is 4A. Except for Greene and Carpenter, who will take their usual mid-season vacation (IL stint) at some point, I’m sure.
Their lineup is not all AAAA. Lots of unproven and young players doesn’t equate to AAAA players. No Phil Nevin’s on the roster anymore.