The Detroit Tigers’ injury woes continue with utility player Matt Vierling to miss Opening Day with a shoulder injury. According to Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press , the injury is a strained rotator cuff muscle in his right shoulder. He will be sidelined for about three weeks to heal the injury and won’t take on the Los Angeles Dodgers on March 27th. After this, his injury will be re-assessed to get the green light to participate in baseball activities. Manager A.J. Hinch commented on the injury update:
“Given the timeline, he’s not going to be available for Opening Day,” manager A.J. Hinch said Friday morning. “The doctors have told us that he needs a period of rest, which is going to impact Opening Day. I don’t know anything more after that on how long. We’ll know more in a few weeks.”
#Tigers medical update: Matt Vierling will not be ready for Opening Day after being diagnosed with a strained rotator cuff muscle in his right shoulder. pic.twitter.com/kF2zGqWdfO
— Evan Petzold (@EvanPetzold) February 28, 2025
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Tigers’ Injuries Continue to Pile
The Tigers received good news on Thursday with the return of Javier Báez in the lineup on Friday. But they will now be without their versatile outfielder and third baseman, who exemplifies leadership and consistency. The Tigers are also without other significant pieces to their lineup. For example, starter Alex Cobb and top outfielder Parker Meadows. But Cobb is progressing with his rehab. Overall, Vierling has been a resourceful player for the Tigers. This comes from his ability to play all outfield positions. It has offered the Tigers multiple options to utilize his role effectively. He started in 82 games in the outfield and 42 games at third. Vierling is also a role model and leader for the Tigers’ organization.
In addition, his stability has been cherished as he is the lone wolf in terms of Tigers position players who have postseason experience. His 2024 performance was sported by a .257 batting average, 16 home runs, 57 RBI, six stolen bases, and a 3.0 WAR. Vierling was also a big part of the Tigers’ surprising late-season success that led them to make a push in the postseaso n. Vierling was anticipated to play a large role in the Tigers’ continuance of success this season. His presence in both the lineup and the clubhouse will be longed for. The Tigers will have to shuffle things around with their lineup, and hopefully, he won’t miss significant time. Vierling’s future with the Tigers is crucial, as he offers stability through regular playing time.
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