SEATTLE -- The Tigers placed starting second baseman Gleyber Torres on the 10-day IL with a left oblique strain before Monday night's series opener in Seattle.
Justyn-Henry Malloy was recalled from Triple-A Toledo in a corresponding move.
Speaking to the media before the Tigers¡¯ series opener at T-Mobile Park, manager A.J. Hinch was not able to project a return date for the two-time All-Star. He said that Torres¡¯ situation was ¡°tricky,¡± because the infielder didn¡¯t feel 100% but also ¡°doesn¡¯t feel like it¡¯s a big deal.¡± But after getting test results back late Sunday, the Tigers decided to err on the side of caution.
¡°Tests over the off-day revealed that we have to deal with something, and we¡¯re just not going to play ¡®He can go today, can¡¯t go tomorrow,¡¯¡± Hinch said. ¡°You get real nervous when you talk about obliques, intercostals, all the words you hear around that area. Hitting is hard [on them], and awkward throws are a concern.¡±
Torres had experienced some pain in his left side before Friday but appeared to aggravate the injury while homering in that night's game against the Dodgers, which he was then forced to leave early. He did not appear in the Tigers¡¯ series finale in Los Angeles on Saturday, and spent Sunday undergoing tests before Detroit¡¯s coaching staff and management ultimately made the call Monday morning.
Torres was off to a hot start through two games this year, hitting .429 with the homer, a walk and a stolen base.
It¡¯s the first IL stint for Torres since August of 2021. Since then, he¡¯d played in at least 125 games in three straight seasons for the Yankees, before he came to Detroit on a one-year, $15 million contract in December.
Colt Keith, who started 125 games at second base for the Tigers as a rookie last season, made his second straight start there Monday. Detroit also has Andy Ib¨¢?ez (117 career starts at second) and Zach McKinstry (73 career starts) to give Hinch options until Torres can return.
¡°We have a very versatile position player group,¡± Hinch said. ¡°and we¡¯re still going to utilize that.¡±