The name Detroit Tigers and injuries have almost become synonyms in the baseball world. Before Friday’s Grapefruit League game against the Blue Jays, manager A.J. Hinch said that Tigers outfielder Matt Vierling would not be available until after Opening Day because of a torn rotator cuff muscle.

It makes the Tigers’ outfield even more troublesome this spring. Due to what was characterized as inflammation in his right upper arm, Parker Meadows’ condition is still being assessed. Akil Baddoo, meanwhile, will miss the rest of camp because of surgery to fix a fractured wrist. It looks like Vierling will undergo ample rest before engaging in preparations for stepping on the field. 

Matt Vierling opens up about his injury  

Detroit Tigers beat writer for the Detroit Free Press wrote on X about Matt Vierling’s situation. Vierling said, “Emotionally shocked. … It could’ve been way worse. I’m feeling grateful that it’s not torn, and I’m feeling grateful that it’s March 1. … I’ve never really been hurt in my career to this extent, so I’m trying to figure out how this works. We’ll be OK.” 

Hinch stated that he is “comfortable with the depth we have” in the outfield, despite Vierling’s uncertain availability. Besides enabling certain infielders to take on certain outfield responsibilities when necessary, Hinch cited Wenceel Perez, Jahmai Jones, and Zach McKinstry as players who can fill in. Not only Vierling but another outfielder has been sidelined because of nerve issues. 

Detroit Tigers center fielder Parker Meadows faces also succumbs to injury troubles

He’s been shut down from baseball activities due to a nerve issue in his right upper arm. The 25-year-old, who has been working hard to earn a spot on the Opening Day roster, is now in a waiting game, with no clear timeline on when he’ll return to the diamond. While his status for an Opening Day on March 27 against the Los Angeles Dodgers remains uncertain, there’s a glimmer of hope.  

If the nerve in his arm responds and starts firing again, he could be back on track. But if the issue lingers longer than expected, his availability for the season opener could be in jeopardy. Parker Meadows is facing a challenging road to recovery. The 25-year-old center fielder shared that the nerve in his right arm has been inactive for a week, and unfortunately, there’s no immediate or guaranteed way to jump-start it.   

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Tigers manager A.J. Hinch provided an update on the situation, saying, “We’re going to wait and see. We got to get that nerve firing again for him to resume baseball activities. It could be short. It could linger a little bit. No one has a firm timeline on when that could be.” For now, Meadows and the Tigers are holding their breath, hoping the nerve issue resolves quickly, so he can continue his journey toward a potential Opening Day debut.