The Detroit Tigers are still waiting. Javier Baez and Gleyber Torres remain on the injured list, and the team still has no idea when either guy will be back. That’s the short version of the latest update from MLB.com, which lists both players’ expected return dates as simply TBD.
Baez has been out since April 29 with a right ankle sprain. That’s a long time for a 10-day IL stint. He’s played in just 24 games this season, which is not what anyone expected from a 13-year veteran. When he’s been on the field, he’s been okay — 20 hits, two homers, six RBIs, a .256 average and .280 on-base percentage through 78 at-bats. Not elite, but solid enough. The club says he’s now started a hitting and running program, which is at least something. But there’s no timeline for when that turns into actual games.
Torres went on the IL on June 17 with a left oblique strain, retroactive to June 16. Obliques are tricky. They linger. The team says he’s doing running progression and rehab exercises but hasn’t started hitting yet. That’s not great news for a guy who’s been one of the Tigers’ more consistent hitters this year. Through 157 at-bats, Torres owns a .280 average and a .395 OBP with 44 hits, four homers, and 18 RBIs. At 29 years old and in his ninth season, he’s been the kind of稳定 middle-of-the-order presence the Tigers need down the stretch.
The Tigers Are Making Do Without Them
Detroit has been piecing things together in the meantime. They’re set to face the Yankees on Wednesday, and James Outman is back in center field again. Zach McKinstry is getting the start at second base. Not exactly the same firepower, but it’s what they’ve got.
The bigger question is whether either Baez or Torres will be back before the trade deadline. If the Tigers fall further back in the standings, there’s going to be pressure to either get these guys playing or figure out what the long-term plan is. For now, it’s just waiting. And the waiting doesn’t have a clear end date.
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