Detroit Tigers suffer rash of injuries to infielders throughout organization

PITTSBURGH — The Detroit Tigers continue to be one of the healthiest teams in baseball.

But the infield depth has taken a hit.

Triple-A Toledo shortstops Ryan Kreidler and Eddys Leonard — both right-handed hitters and members of the 40-man roster — have been sidelined with injuries. Kreidler suffered a right index finger fracture; Leonard suffered a left oblique strain.

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The injuries occurred in a span of three days in games with the Mud Hens.

The two injuries in the minor leagues impacted the Tigers at the big-league level when Andy Ibáñez, a right-handed hitting infielder, landed on the injured list Monday with a left hamstring strain. Another right-handed hitting infielder would have filled the void, but Kreidler and Leonard weren’t available because of their injuries.

The Tigers already called up switch-hitting outfielder Wenceel Pérez. Outfielder Matt Vierling, to make room for Pérez to get reps in the outfield, is going to play more third base again until Ibáñez returns.

It probably would have been Kreidler instead of Pérez, but Kreidler was hit by a pitch in Thursday’s game and fractured an index finger.

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The fractured finger marks his third injury issue in the past three seasons. He broke his right hand on a hit by pitch and had surgery in 2022, underwent core muscle surgery in 2023 and broke a finger on his right hand in 2024.

Kreidler, an elite defender at shortstop, had a tremendous spring training, hitting .306 with two home runs, eight walks and 11 strikeouts across 45 plate appearances in 20 games. The 26-year-old has logged 37 games in his MLB career, whereas Leonard is still looking to make his MLB debut.

Leonard, who takes a backseat to Kreidler on defense, also raked in spring training. The 23-year-old hit .333 with two homers, three walks and four strikeouts across 37 plate appearances in 18 games.

Leonard strained his left oblique on a swing in Sunday’s game. He is receiving treatment to reduce the inflammation, and he is scheduled to report to the spring training facility in Lakeland, Florida, to begin his rehabilitation program.

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Here’s the scouting report on both players: Kreidler’s bat is unproven, but he is a wizard on defense; Leonard’s chase rate is concerning, but he hits the ball as hard as any player. The Tigers plan to call upon those two players at some point this season, but they couldn’t get on the first shuttle from Toledo to Detroit because of injuries.

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Kevin McGonigle, Freddy Pacheco

Fellow shortstop Kevin McGonigle, a 19-year-old prospect, suffered a left hamstring strain in spring training and hasn’t made his season debut yet. He has been completing rehab and a return-to-play progression during extended spring training in Lakeland.

McGonigle, selected No. 37 overall in the 2023 draft, is expected to report to Low-A Lakeland, joining fellow top prospect Max Clark, but he should be a candidate for quick promotion to High-A West Michigan.

That’s because McGonigle can hit.

Last season, McGonigle hit .315 with one home run, 18 walks and 10 strikeouts across 21 games at the Florida Complex League and Low-A Lakeland levels. In Low-A, McGonigle hit .350 with one homer, seven walks and five strikeouts across 12 games.

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Right-handed reliever Freddy Pacheco, who throws a high-velocity fastball and a nasty slider out of the bullpen, is making progress in his return from Tommy John surgery. He is throwing bullpens twice per week.

The 25-year-old underwent elbow surgery in June 2023.

Pacheco hasn’t been healthy since the 2022 season in the St. Louis Cardinals’ organization, when he posted a 3.05 ERA with 28 walks and 84 strikeouts across 62 innings in 50 relief appearances for Double-A Springfield and Triple-A Memphis. That year, his 96.5 mph fastball had a 26.5% whiff rate and his 84.4 mph slider had a 54.6% whiff rate.

Although Pacheco likely reports to Triple-A Toledo when fully healthy, he could be an asset for the Tigers down the stretch this season, but only if he recaptures his fastball command and slider shape.

Sawyer Gipson-Long

In the big leagues, the Tigers have more than one player on the injury report for the first time since March 8.

Right-hander Sawyer Gipson-Long has been on the report since the first week of spring training with a left groin strain, but at some point in the past couple of days, he reported right forearm tightness.

The 26-year-old, who posted a 2.70 ERA in four starts with the Tigers last season, completed three innings in his first rehab start Sunday for Low-A Lakeland, allowing one run on three hits and zero walks with four strikeouts. He complained of forearm tightness after the 41-pitch outing.

Gipson-Long is receiving further evaluation.

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.

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