Detroit Tigers: C.J. Cron injury comes at the worst time during 2020 season
By Tyler Kotila
The Detroit Tigers lost one of their first baseman, C.J. Cron, at a pretty inconvenient time.
In one of the recent Detroit Tigers contests, first baseman C.J. Cron took a sharp liner that would result in him being helped off the field by manager Ron Gardenhire and athletic trainer Doug Teter. Cron would later announce that he sustained a knee sprain and was then placed on the Injured List.
After being put on the 10-day IL, it was noted that Cron will likely need to undergo surgery on his knee to ensure that he can get back on the field. In Cron’s words, courtesy of Evan Woodberry from MLive, the injury is “brutal” going on to talk about his early performance in 2020.
For Cron, he was right, 2020 has been a good start for the right-handed hitter, playing in thirteen games so far as the Tigers first baseman. He was awarded the everyday starter role, something that he was graciously getting used to before the injury.
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Cron did not rule out a return during the 2020 season, but with surgery being the likelihood, it will leave him in a race to get back on the field.
Through his 13 games for the Tigers in 2020, Cron hit .190/.346/.548 with four home runs and eight RBI on the young season.
While the batting average is not something to be too excited about, Cron looked hot to start out the season, driving the ball when he did make contact.
He was an on-base machine, and the hope was that he could find success in the box while growing into the everyday role for the Tigers.
However, the injury will cut any hopes of that down now that he will need surgery on his knee.
The Tigers just signed Cron to a $6.1 million one-year contract this past offseason after poaching both Cron and Schoop from the Minnesota Twins organization.
They will now have to decide to reward him with another one-year contract or let him become a free agent. Even though the injury has brutally destroyed his 2020 season, and there was a lot of hype around him in Summer Camp, a one-year deal should be warranted for the first baseman.
The injury comes at such an inopportune time for Cron, but hopefully, the Tigers saw enough from the veteran first baseman and will keep him around for at least one more year as a possible investment piece.
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The Detroit Tigers should recognize the unfortunate timing of Cron’s injury and think long and hard about a “prove it” contract for the 2021 season.