DETROIT -- The Tigers¡¯ early-season rash of injuries continued on Tuesday with catcher Jake Rogers and outfielder Manuel Margot, who were placed on the 10-day injured list with left oblique tightness and left knee inflammation, respectively.
Brewer Hicklen, whom the Tigers acquired from Milwaukee for outfield depth at the end of Spring Training, was recalled from Triple-A Toledo to fill Margot¡¯s spot. Veteran backstop Tom¨¢s Nido was selected from Toledo to take Rogers¡¯ place.
Rogers was in the Tigers¡¯ lineup for Tuesday¡¯s game against the Yankees, slated to catch Tarik Skubal, before feeling his oblique tighten on a swing in the cage just before the game.
¡°It was a pretty classic [oblique] issue with his side, and he was in a little bit of pain,¡± manager A.J. Hinch said. ¡°We had a little consultation with our training department, and it was an immediate IL [move], just based on their initial read.¡±
Dillon Dingler replaced Rogers in the lineup on short notice, becoming the first catcher other than Rogers to catch Skubal in a regular-season game since Carson Kelly on Sept. 3, 2023. Dingler was already gaining playing time amidst a hot start at the plate, including his second home run of the season on Tuesday. Now, he¡¯s set to get the bulk of the starts behind the dish.
¡°Obviously, we¡¯re going to miss Rog,¡± Hinch said. ¡°Rog is a big part of what we do, and he catches a lot of wins. Ding¡¯s going to get the lion¡¯s share of the reps, and Tomas is going to play.
¡°It wasn¡¯t too long ago I was getting asked how we¡¯re going to get Dingler in the lineup more. Unfortunately, this is how it is. But given that we had two starting catchers, this is now going to be tested with a different part of our depth.¡±
The Tigers signed Margot at the end of Spring Training to provide depth following spring injuries to Parker Meadows (upper right arm nerve discomfort), Matt Vierling (right rotator cuff muscle strain) and Wenceel P¨¦rez (lumbar spine inflammation). Margot batted 6-for-19 with three RBIs in six games, but his attempt to get a step on Ben Rice¡¯s triple Monday against the Yankees tweaked his knee.
¡°He kind of jumped and then landed a little awkwardly,¡± Hinch said. ¡°From that point forward, he wasn¡¯t moving around great. So we kept asking him, and he said he was fine. ¡ And then, when he got his last at-bat against [Yankees starter] Carlos Rod¨®n, he hobbled down to first.¡±
While Zach McKinstry replaced Margot in right field to begin the seventh inning, Margot saw doctors and underwent tests. He¡¯ll undergo further evaluation, according to the team.
The 29-year-old Hicklen, who had cups of coffee with the Brewers (aptly) last year and the Royals in 2022, hit 5-for-21 with two RBIs in two games for Triple-A Toledo. He¡¯s 0-for-9 with a stolen base in nine career MLB games. The right-handed hitter can play all three outfield positions, which gives the Tigers some flexibility in center after rotating Ryan Kreidler and Riley Greene in center for most of the season to date.
¡°The last 10 days have been quite the roller coaster,¡± Hicklen said, ¡°getting [designated for assignment by the Brewers] right before Opening Day and then getting picked up by the Tigers, who need some outfield depth. It¡¯s really an amazing opportunity for me. Super grateful and thankful to be in a Tigers uniform. It¡¯s an incredible city, blue collar, and that fits my mentality and the way I approach the game.¡±
Hicklen will likely play in Wednesday¡¯s series finale against Yankees lefty Max Fried, according to Hinch.
¡°Good outfielder. I know there¡¯s some power in there,¡± Hinch said. ¡°He¡¯s a player we acquired for a reason, being a right-handed bat, moving around the outfield a little bit. ¡ Fortunately, we acquired him at the right time, because we continue to get unlucky in the outfield.¡±
The Tigers hit the road after this series to Minnesota and Milwaukee, which means Brewer could face the Brewers -- his former team -- early next week. Those plans could change if infielder Gleyber Torres is ready to return from his left oblique injury by then.
Not all the news was bad among Tigers outfielders and injuries. Vierling has been cleared to begin a return-to-play throwing progression, the last bit of baseball activity for him to do. He¡¯ll likely need a fairly extensive rehab assignment, having played only one game in Spring Training before the injury, but he¡¯s now trending towards a return.