Detroit – The first sign that something might be up was when Wenceel Perez came out before the game to do his outfield work with coaches Anthony Iapoce and Gary Jones.
That was about 2 p.m. Tuesday and Perez, who had been on a rehab assignment, had a game scheduled for 6:40 p.m. in Toledo.
The second sign — the complete absence of Matt Vierling before the game.
Put those two together and you have the roster move.
The Tigers activated Perez off the injured list and put Matt Vierling back on it. Vierling reported soreness in his right shoulder after the game Monday.
“There wasn’t a singular event or episode or anything,” Tigers manager AJ Hinch said. “He came in after the game and reported some shoulder soreness so we sent him for tests, had him see some doctors.
“We need to get further testing but we can’t mess with this, especially off the recent shoulder issue he had.”
Vierling played in four games after spending the first 51 games of the season on the IL. He replaced Javier Baez in centerfield after Baez was ejected in the bottom of the fifth inning Monday.
“Anything any of us say right now (about the severity of the injury) would be premature,” Hinch said. “Because I don’t know.”
Perez, out since the start of the season with lower back inflammation, started his rehab assignment on May 16. He’s played in six games total, two in Lakeland, two at West Michigan and two at Toledo.
“It is great to see Wenceel,” Hinch said. “We should not steal any joy away from getting Wenceel back. This guy is so fun to be around. He’s energetic, big smile bouncing around the clubhouse. He was a really important part of our team last season.
“He’s just a fun impactful player to have back.”
Perez, a switch-hitter, made his 2025 debut in centerfield but Hinch said he will play all three outfield spots.
“He’s fully cleared and ready to go,” Hinch said. “We were going to have to decide which ballpark he was going to play at tonight — here or Toledo. And there was no need for him to continue it in Toledo.”
And with Perez in center, Baez got the start at third base. Which was perfectly timed since Phil Cuzzi, the umpire that ejected him on Monday, was expected to be the umpire at third base Tuesday.
“Cuzzi will be right next to him,” Hinch said, smiling. “It’s like parenting. I’ve got to put those two in a corner and they’ve got to sort it out and play nice.”
Hinch he expected the two to make amends and move on.
“That’s just part of the good-natured side of this game – everybody pushes the reset button,” Hinch said. “I do joke about third base but they’ll hug it out today and be perfectly fine. Both are veteran people in the game.”
Not eyewash
Sometimes when there are arguments and ejections, like there was with Baez and Cuzzi Monday, it’s just a singular moment and has little or no direct impact on the rest of the game.
Sometimes it’s like manager ejections, just eyewash.
But when the combustion was as sudden and organic as it was with Baez and Cuzzi, the impact was real.
“That fired me up,” said Riley Greene, who responded with a two-run single in the bottom of the fifth that ended up being the difference in the game. “It fired me up.”
Greene shouted “Let’s go!” to the dugout after Baez was escorted off the field by third base coach Joey Cora and Gleyber Torres.
“Whatever happened, that was Javy’s business,” Greene said. “But we have to have Javy’s back. So it was like, let’s go, let’s win. It just gives you that extra boost. I don’t know why, it just does.”
Catcher Dillon Dingler responded exactly the same way.
“We all had Javy’s back,” he said. “None of it was taken the wrong way. It did fire us up and ultimately it showed how much Javy cares. We all see that and it’s good for the fans and the people on the outside to see that.”
The Tigers aren’t much of an eyewash team, frankly. They wear their emotions on their sleeves on the field but there isn’t anything disingenuous about how they go about their business.
“You always see plenty of stuff where it’s like, ‘They’re doing that just to get attention, there’s no real purpose there,’” Dingler said. “That’s not us. If somebody gets fired up, it’s for a reason. If someone gets tossed, it’s for a reason.”
And that stems from the top. Hinch got to Cuzzi a couple of seconds too late to save Baez, but he was able to diffuse the situation without getting himself ejected – which would have served no real purpose.
“I don’t think AJ does anything just to put on a show,” Kerry Carpenter said. “If he gets out there, it’s pretty warranted. I don’t think our team needs to be fired up. I think we want to win as much as anybody in the world.
“But we are going to have each other’s back.”
Around the horn
Starting pitcher Reese Olson (right ring finger strain) will throw another bullpen on Wednesday. “It’s not quite a full bullpen yet,” Hinch said. “We are inching our way toward that. But we get to keep his arm moving and it’s not been painful. That’s a great step. I don’t know that he’s using his full arsenal yet but that will be the next step.” Olson could come off the IL as soon as Wednesday, but the decision point will likely come after the series in Kansas City this weekend.
… Right-hander Alex Cobb (right hip inflammation) threw a bullpen Monday. He’s had four additional shots in his hip to alleviate the swelling and discomfort. His arm is game-ready. It’s a matter of being able to move around the mound and field his position. He could be starting a rehab assignment within the week.
… Torres went into the game Tuesday with the highest OPS among American League second baseman (.805). His .378 on-base percentage and .428 slug leads all AL second baseman. He’s also the only player in the league with more walks (23) than strikeouts (18).
Giants at Tigers
First pitch: 1:10 p.m. Wednesday
TV/radio: FanDuel Sports/97.1
SCOUTING REPORT
RHP Landen Roupp (3-3, 3.63), Giants: He hasn’t allowed a run in his last two starts (Athletics and Nationals), pitching around 10 hits and four walks in 12 total innings. He throws a nasty curveball (.179 opponent average, 41.8% whiff) off a 93-mph sinker. Lefties will get his changeup and cutter. He’s not overpowering but he misses barrels (31.9% hard-hit rate).
RHP Jackson Jobe (4-1, 4.06), Tigers: His biggest issue to date is getting through the first inning. He’s allowed eight runs and 15 hits, including three doubles, a triple and two homers in his seven starts. Opponents are slugging .650 with a 1.059 OPS against him in the first frame. But there is nothing wrong with his battle level. After getting dinged in the first inning by the Guardians, he allowed only one other single through five innings.
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