While the Detroit Tigers remain one of the best teams in baseball, they’re looking to improve on how they played in the month of June. A lot of teams would take the way the Tigers have performed in the last month as Detroit finished with a 15-11 record. But it was their worst of the year after going a combined 37-18 during April and May.
A big reason for the Tigers’ lull has been injuries and two more popped up as they open the month of July. With a couple of additions to the injured list, Detroit has called up a pair of reinforcements before Wednesday’s doubleheader against the Washington Nationals.
Tigers Call Up Trey Sweeney, Tyler Owens Amid Injury Moves
The Tigers announced that they have placed outfielder Kerry Carpenter and right-hander Sawyer Gipson-Long on the injured list and recalled shortstop Trey Sweeney and right-hander Tyler Owens on Wednesday morning. Carpenter is being placed on the injured list with a hamstring injury while Gipson-Long is dealing with neck stiffness, leaving a pair of big holes to fill on the Tigers’ roster.
Carpenter has been battling hamstring tightness for most of the season and was injured legging out a triple during Sunday night’s 3-0 win over the Minnesota Twins. While he’s been at less than 100%, the 27-year-old has still managed to be productive, hitting .257/.285/.494 with 16 home runs and 32 RBI but his absence leaves a void for a lineup looking for a right-handed bat ahead of the trade deadline.
Gipson-Long’s neck injury is also a concern for a rotation that’s starting to show cracks. While the Tigers have the reigning Cy Young Award winner in Tarik Skubal, Casey Mize has been fighting through his own hamstring issues while Jack Flaherty has gone off the rails in the month of June.
Sweeney may not be the answer to replace Carpenter as he was hitting .221/.280/.594 with four homers and 23 RBI before being optioned to Triple-A Toledo last week. And Owens, who is 0-1 with a 5.46 ERA with the Mud Hens this season, may be a temporary call-up before Reese Olson re-joins the Tigers’ rotation on Friday night.
Either way, the Tigers will look to start July off on a strong note and hope that Sweeney and Owens can help them with a series win over the Nationals this week.