Tigers Provide Tremendous Injury Updates on Two Critical Stars Entering Spring
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The Detroit Tigers entered the offseason looking to improve upon their roster and figure out ways to take the next step, but as if so often the case, the most important steps have to be taken internally.
This includes both individual guys raising their level of play, but also getting back to full health as a team and potentially having players back on the field who may have missed chunks of time this past season.
In a marathon MLB season, injuries are an inevitable reality, and Detroit was certainly not an exception. The Tigers had numerous ailments in their starting rotation including multiple season-ending injuries, and as it turned out, even those who were playing were not all full health.
With Detroit releasing their official injury update via Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press, it was all tremendous news for two of their most important stars.
Tigers Receive Great News on Reese Olson and Gleyber Torres
Detroit gave second baseman Gleyber Torres a qualifying offer which he wound up surprising many and accepting, but news after the season came out that he was dealing with a sports hernia down the stretch which required surgery.
According to the update from the team, Torres has now already been cleared to resume all baseball activities and begin his normal offseason training, likely meaning the Tigers will have their slugger back in the fold for spring training.
As for young right-hander Reese Olson, he is scheduled to begin a return to play throwing progression this week after he was ruled out for the season in late July with a shoulder strain. Olson's injury was largely the beginning of the end for Detroit's rotation, and getting him back will be critical.
Though Olson's picture is likely a bit more complicated than Torres, it sounds like he has a chance for a normal offseason as well and to return for spring training, getting back in the rotation before Opening Day.
Both Players Are Absolutely Critical for Tigers
Torres faded down the stretch while playing through the injury which required the surgery, but he still slashed .256/.358/.387 with 16 home runs and 74 RBI, collecting a 2.9 bWAR in 145 games played. He was one of Detroit's most important offensive players while playing on a one-year deal, and now on the qualifying offer he has all the motivation in the world to go out and have another big season.
Now that he's healthy, perhaps he can get right back to his first half form.
Olson on the other hand was enjoying a breakout season where he looked like he was finally ready to become a star, pitching to a 3.15 ERA and 1.21 WHIP to post a 1.7 bWAR over just 13 starts before being announced as lost for the season.
His presence in the top half of the rotation looked like it was going to be absolutely massive for the Tigers at the start of the year, and his absence was felt severely. It sounds like he still has work to do, but is on his way back.
If Detroit can get each of these stars back on the field, it could be more significant than any other move they make this winter.
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Michael Brauner is a 2022 graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in Sports Media. He covers various MLB teams across the On SI network and you can also find his work on Yellowhammer News covering the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers as well as on the radio producing and co-hosting 'The Opening Kickoff' every weekday morning on 105.5 WNSP FM in Mobile, Alabama.