Detroit, MI
Detroit Tigers OF/3B Matt Vierling returns from injured list; Sean Guenther optioned
Detroit Tigers’ Matt Vierling explains why he drives 2012 Ford Escape
Detroit Tigers player Matt Vierling reveals on the “Days of Roar” podcast that he drives a 2012 Ford Escape — and why he won’t buy a new car.
At last, Matt Vierling has arrived.
The Detroit Tigers activated Vierling — an outfielder/third baseman on the field and a team leader behind the scenes — from the injured list ahead of their Friday, May 23, game against the Cleveland Guardians at Comerica Park. He wasn’t in the starting lineup, but he’s available as a pinch-hitter off the bench.
The 28-year-old had been sidelined since Feb. 23 — the second game of spring training — with a strained rotator cuff in his right shoulder. In total, Vierling missed 51 games this season.
But now, he’s finally back.
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To create room for Vierling, the Tigers optioned left-handed reliever Sean Guenther to Triple-A Toledo. On May 24, the Tigers are expected to activate right-hander Casey Mize to start, which will lead to the demotion of a position player.
Vierling has been a mainstay for the Tigers the past two seasons.
He had the best results of his four-year MLB career in the 2024 campaign, hitting .257 with 16 home runs, 41 walks and 121 strikeouts in 144 games. He plays all three outfield positions and third base, but he performs best in center field and right field.
Returning to the Tigers, Vierling projects to play right field and third base, with ex-infielder Javier Báez expected to continue roaming center field until Parker Meadows is activated from the injured list within the next three weeks.
Meadows — who has been sidelined since Feb. 22 with a right upper arm nerve issue — started his rehab assignment May 20, which began his 20-day rehab clock.
He must be activated by June 9.
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As for Vierling, he played 11 games on his rehab assignment. He hit .206 with two home runs, nine walks and 14 strikeouts in43 plate appearances. He spent five games at designated hitter, three games at third base for 21 innings, two games in right for 13 innings and one game in center for nine innings.
The Tigers took their time with Vierling’s rehab assignment to ensure the rotator cuff strain in his right shoulder wouldn’t resurface with throws from different angles.
It took 19 days, but Vierling eventually checked all the boxes.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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The Asian American and Hispanic communities in Metro Detroit grew significantly over the last half-decade, helping to fuel a small boost in Michigan’s population, newly released Census Bureau data shows.
The Asian American populations of Wayne, Macomb, and Oakland counties jumped 8% from 2023 to 2024, the most of any ethnic group. The number of Hispanic residents in Macomb and Oakland counties has increased by more than 10% since 2020.
The latest Census Bureau release contains county-level data on age, race and sex across all U.S. states and Puerto Rico through July 1, 2024. It uses an adjusted version of the 2020 decennial census and updated information on births, deaths and migration.
Census data released earlier this year showed that Michigan’s population grew more in 2024 than it had in several decades, driven in large part by immigration to Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties. Those three counties grew by more than 30,000 residents. Michigan’s population increased by 57,000 residents in 2024 to 10.14 million due solely to immigration growth.
State Rep. Ranjeev Puri, a Canton Township Democrat who represents part of Wayne County, called the new demographic numbers “exciting news.”
“The ethnic diversity of Michigan is one of the strong suits,” Puri said.
Puri, the Michigan House Democratic leader, is the highest-ranking South Asian official in the state, as well as the first person of color to represent his district.
He said it is important to remember the “rich diversity” of the many Asian American communities across the state. “All of that woven into Michigan makes it a much better place,” Puri said.
Canton Township, which makes up most of Puri’s district, has experienced “a tremendous amount of growth” in recent years, particularly among communities of color, he said. The community of 99,873 residents is 62% White, nearly 20% Asian, 10% Black and 4.5% Hispanic, according to the Census Bureau.
Puri said he takes the responsibility to represent these constituents seriously. “My goal is to make sure that every community has representation,” he said.
Lex Zavala, who has spent 22 years serving the Latino community in Metro Detroit with the Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation, said the growth in immigrant populations helps communities thrive.
When Zavala, now the DHDC’s interim executive director, was growing up in southwest Detroit, most of the Latino population did not speak Spanish.
That all changed when he was a teenager. The arrival of Mexican and Central American immigrants “influenced our community in a way that it grew, it blossomed…,” he said.
The neighborhood, to Zavala, represents “an example of what happens when immigrants are allowed to dream and grow.”
The growth of Latino communities in Oakland and Macomb counties can be attributed to a combination of recent waves of Venezuelan and Colombian immigrants and upwardly mobile Hispanic families from neighboring areas, said Elias Gutiérrez, founder and publisher of The Latino Press, a Spanish-language weekly newspaper in Detroit.
Osvaldo “Ozzie” Rivera, a longtime community organizer and musician who teaches Afro-Latino history and culture at Wayne State University, said a strong Latino community has existed in places like River Rouge and Highland Park since the first half of the 20th century.
Rivera has worked to document the long history of Latino organizers and musicians in the Detroit area.
“If you don’t know the past, you don’t know the present,” he said.
Zavala’s work at the DHDC has adapted to meet the needs of a more spread-out community.
“We’re just following where our community goes, making sure they’re really receiving the services they need,” he said.
The DHDC runs programs teaching English with a vocational focus to help immigrants who were professionals in their home country get licensed in the United States. The organization also helps community members start businesses and buy their first homes.
“A lot of people that come are coming with their green cards, refugee citizenships — they’re able to have their Social Security numbers, purchase homes, start businesses,” Zavala said.
Recent immigration crackdowns by the Trump administration have cast a shadow on Latino communities across the Metro area, he said.
“The Latino population is scared to go out. It’s almost back to COVID lockdown,” Zavala said.
And immigrant-run businesses have suffered, he said: “Our business district is empty now. Restaurants and construction can’t find enough workers to fill their space.”
President Donald Trump campaigned on the promise of mass deportations, starting with immigrant criminals who are in the country illegally but also deporting others who are found to be in the country illegally.
As Latino communities outside of southwest Detroit continue to expand, however, Zavala was optimistic.
“I think for the majority, people understand that these are hardworking people that are coming here to build the American Dream just like previous immigrant populations,” he said.
bwarren@detroitnews.com
Red Wings’ Steve Yzerman & Todd McLellan end of season presser
Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman & coach Todd McLellan, April 29, 2025 in Detroit.
In 2019, the Detroit Red Wings saw enough potential in Antti Tuomisto to use their second pick in the draft on him.
Six years later, he has yet to even sniff the NHL, but he’s done well in the minors and earned an extension with the franchise. The Wings have signed the 24-year-old defenseman for one year, days before he could have become a restricted free agent on July 1. It’s a two-way deal, typical of a prospect not yet seen as NHL caliber.
Tuomisto towers at 6 foot 5, 210 pounds, and shoots right. He’s an intelligent player with a good first pass, and hard to knock off the puck.
The 2019 draft was Steve Yzerman’s first as general manager of the Wings. His first selection, Moritz Seider (No. 6) already is four years into his career and a key part of the rebuild. Albert Johansson, a second-round pick (No. 60), just completed his first NHL season, thriving after the coaching change at Christmas.
That draft also saw the Wings select Elmer Söderblom in the sixth round (159th overall); the gangly forward likewise made inroads to establishing his NHL career this past season.
Tuomisto, selected with the team’s first pick in the second round at No. 35 overall, spent two seasons playing at the University of Denver, before going back to his native Finland to play in that country’s top league in 2022-23. He split his time between the Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL) and Toledo Walleye (ECHL) the following season, and in 2024-25, posted 27 points in 67 games with the Griffins.
Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter. Her latest book, “The Franchise: Detroit Red Wings, A Curated History of the Red Wings,” was released October 2024. Her books, “On the Clock: Behind the Scenes with the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL Draft,” and “The Big 50: The Men and Moments that made the Detroit Red Wings” are available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.
Detroit — The Detroit Pistons currently have one pick (second round, No. 37 overall) entering the NBA Draft. Unless president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon makes a significant move, the Pistons will remain quiet as they enter Day 2 of the draft on Thursday.
Despite not having a first-round selection, Langdon believes the Pistons still have a great chance to add an impactful player. Heading into Wednesday’s first round, here are 10 prospects the Pistons might be able to add with their lone draft selection.
▶ Johni Broome, center, 6-9, 249, Auburn
Broome seems like the most impactful prospect the Pistons might be able to draft with the No. 37 pick. He is one of the best defensive big men in this draft class, leading the SEC in blocks with 154 over the previous two years while averaging 17.5 points per game and 9.7 rebounds.
Langdon recently stressed the importance of building depth, especially during the Pistons’ first-round series when Paul Reed took the lead on replacing Isaiah Stewart’s production against the New York Knicks. Reed is among the few players to enter free agency in July. Adding Broome would provide Detroit with a dependable backup option if Reed departs.
“We were fortunate that we had Paul,” Langdon said. “I think if we didn’t have a guy as talented as Paul, another player would not have been able to hold water like Paul did for us at that time.”
▶ Ryan Kalkbrenner, center, 7-1, 252, Creighton
Kalkbrenner’s height makes him one of the most intriguing Day 2 prospects. At 7-foot-1, he is a dependable rebounder and rim protector who could keep the Pistons’ defense afloat when called upon by coach J.B. Bickerstaff. During his five-year career at Creighton, Kalkbrenner averaged 6.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks. He also developed into a solid stretch big after shooting a career-best 34.4% on 3-pointers last season.
▶ Rasheer Fleming, forward, 6-9, 240, Saint Joseph’s
Fleming has been projected as a late first-round pick, but some mock drafts have the third-year forward falling to Day 2. As a Swiss Army knife, Fleming is one of the top hidden gems who could be a second-round steal. He is coming off a career season where he averaged 14.7 points and 8.5 rebounds in 35 games for Saint Joseph’s.
▶ Koby Brea, forward, 6-6, 202, Kentucky
Brea might be the best shooter the Pistons can target at their draft position. In one season at Kentucky he made 43.5% of his 3-point attempts while averaging 11.6 points per game and led the SEC in 3-point shooting percentage. Proving that he was one of the best shooting wings in the nation, Brea shot 43.4% from beyond the arc during his four seasons at Dayton.
▶ Kobe Sanders, forward, 6-9, 207, Nevada
Sanders is a dynamic offensive weapon that fits Langdon’s mold of intriguing wings. He has great size and shooting ability — two essential attributes Langdon highlighted on Tuesday. After transferring to Nevada from Cal Poly, Sanders scored an average of 15.8 points on 46.0% shooting from the field and 34.2% from deep. He is also an underrated playmaker who averaged 4.5 assists last season.
▶ Bogoljub Markovic, forward, 6-11, 190, Serbia
Markovic is another wing who fits Langdon’s criteria for the draft. He is a sharp-shooting forward who shot 37.0% from behind the arc while playing in the Adriatic League. Markovic is also a respectable rebounder, averaging 6.8 boards.
▶ Chaz Lanier, guard, 6-4, 206, Tennessee
Lanier is a prospect who could hear his name called in either round of the draft. He has the intangibles to improve the Pistons’ backcourt depth, especially when it comes to his 3-point shooting. He averaged 18.0 points on 39.5% shooting from behind the arc in his only season at Tennessee.
▶ Ben Saraf, guard, 6-5, 200, Israel
Saraf is a crafty playmaker and one of the best pure point guards in this year’s draft. He averaged 4.3 assists as a member of Ratiopharm Ulm, showcasing his skill set as a young guard who has excellent vision and feel for the game as a floor general.
▶ Tyrese Proctor, guard, 6-4, 183, Duke
Proctor could be one of the biggest steals in the second round. He is one of the best two-way guards who established himself as a reliable secondary ball-handler. As the lead point guard for a stacked Duke team, Proctor averaged 12.4 points and 2.2 assists as a junior.
▶ Javon Small, guard, 6-1, 190, West Virginia
Small possesses all of the ingredients to develop into a dependable secondary guard. With two years of experience in the Big 12, Small averaged a combined 16.8 points and 4.8 assists while at Oklahoma State (2023-24) and West Virginia (2024-25). He can also hold his own on the defensive end as a solid perimeter defender.
coty.davis@detroitnews.com
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