Where Tigers Turn from Here After Latest Brutal Injury Report to Stars
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The Detroit Tigers did not have great fortune the first two days down south during their series against the Atlanta Braves, dropping both games and one in walk-off fashion with a lead.
With that being said, even with the dropped series, the worst aspect of it may be the two pieces they lost during the opener on Tuesday after both Javier Báez and Casey Mize suffered injuries. Shortly after the fact, each was placed on the injured list, Báez with a sprained ankle and Mize with an adductor strain.
Though Báez has struggled at the plate this year, he is still a key piece of this team defensively and one of the more important players on the team. Mize meanwhile has been sensational to start the season and will be greatly missed in the rotation.
So where does Detroit go from here?
Tigers Have to Figure Out Solutions for Báez and Mize
When it comes to replacing Mize, you do not simply find a one of one for a starting pitcher with a 2.90 ERA and 1.1 bWAR across six starts, and it will likely be by committee. For his next two slots, it likely will be a bullpen game, not to mention Keider Montero continuing to get more opportunities.
Báez however is going to be a bit more tricky when it comes to his versatility. This likely puts Kevin McGonigle in a spot where he is the full time daily shortstop rather than playing third as well, which is not an issue, however it does narrow up the depth there.
A.J. Hinch said rookie prospect Hao-Yu Lee is serving as the backup shortstop for now, acknowledging that it is not ideal.
Báez has also been playing a fair bit of center field as well since the injury to Parker Meadows, making his absence felt in all areas of the field.
Tigers Will Simply Ride it Out with Who They Have
Detroit is going to need some internal faces to step up including guys like Lee and Montero as well as Matt Vierling, Wenceel Perez, and others. Every team is going to deal with injuries, but how they weather those storms and find a way to get through them is what separates teams.
The great news is that it doesn't sound like either Mize nor Báez are going to be out for a ton of time, which should allow the Tigers to keep on rolling and hopefully find some momentum these next couple weeks.
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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.