The Detroit Tigers are finally getting some pitching help back at the exact moment they need it most. Right-hander Casey Mize has been activated from the 15-day injured list, giving the club a much-needed arm for their rotation. But the celebration was short-lived, as the team also announced that infielder Gleyber Torres is headed to the 10-day IL with a left oblique strain — an injury that’s beginning to look like an ongoing problem.
Torres’ placement is retroactive to June 16, meaning he’s already been sidelined for a few days. This isn’t just a fresh setback; it’s the same general region of his body that gave him trouble earlier this season. According to the Tigers’ official PR account, the decision was announced before their series finale against the Houston Astros.
Manager A.J. Hinch didn’t sugarcoat the situation when asked about Torres’ recurring issue. “It’s a new injury in the same region of his previous injury,” Hinch told The Detroit Free Press before Wednesday’s game. “Obviously, it’s all related in there. It’s frustrating for him and for us that the area continues to be an issue for him, so he’ll be down.”
The Tigers have been decimated by health problems all year, and Torres’ latest absence only deepens the concern. He’s hit .280 with four home runs and 18 RBI in 43 games this season — solid production that Detroit can’t afford to lose right now. The team has not confirmed whether Torres will require an extended absence or if he’ll return as soon as the 10-day window closes.
Meanwhile, Mize’s return brings a glimmer of hope. The Tigers won just six games in May without ace Tarik Skubal, and their early-June hot streak has been encouraging but fragile. Mize, a former No. 1 overall pick, has dealt with his own injury struggles over the years, but when healthy, he offers the kind of stability the rotation has been missing.
Fans online noted the bitter irony: the Tigers get back one key player only to lose another. It’s the kind of frustrating cycle that has defined Detroit’s season so far — one step forward, one step back. For a team trying to stay relevant in the AL Central, these roster moves feel like they’re happening in slow motion.
The bigger question is whether Torres’ oblique issue is truly a pattern or just bad luck. If it’s the former, the Tigers may need to reconsider how they manage his workload and recovery going forward. For now, they’ll roll with what they have and hope Mize can help steady the ship.
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