Detroit Tigers outfielder Wenceel Pérez isn’t allowed to fly.
The 26-year-old suffered a left orbital fracture that sent him to the 10-day injured list Friday, June 19, retroactive to Wednesday. The injury occurred after Tuesday’s 4-2 loss against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park, when a plyometric band struck him below the left eye during his postgame workout routine.
Pérez remains in Houston, but he is expected to return to Detroit soon. To replace him, the Tigers called up infielder/outfielder Trei Cruz from Triple-A Toledo for his MLB debut.
“He’s not been cleared to travel until some swelling goes down – the pressure of flying, things like that,” manager A.J. Hinch said before Friday’s opener of a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox at Comerica Park. “He’s getting evaluated again with that face and eye issue.”
For Friday’s game, Cruz is batting ninth and playing right field.
Cruz, 27, is the third generation of his family to play in an MLB game, following grandfather José Cruz and father José Cruz Jr. The Cruz family is the fifth in MLB history to have a grandfather, father and son reach the big leagues.
Four of the five families have ties to the Tigers.
The three other families to come through the Tigers: The Boones (grandfather Ray played for the Tigers in the 1950s), the Bells (father Buddy managed the Tigers in the 2000s) and the Colemans (grandfather Joe and father Joe pitched for the Tigers in the 1950s and 1970s, respectively).
“It’s a rarity,” Hinch said of the Cruz family. “My understanding is they’re all going to be in attendance. It’s going to be a really cool baseball moment for his family – and for all of us.”
As for Pérez, there isn’t believed to be any long-term damage.
He will eventually return to baseball activities.
“He’s safe. He’s in a good place,” Hinch said. “As of the news I have now, he’s not in harm’s way. His eye is OK. We’ll bring him back to Detroit as soon as he can fly.”
In 2026, Cruz hit .228 with two home runs, 18 walks and 39 strikeouts across 33 games for Triple-A Toledo, registering a .660 OPS. (Back in 2025, he hit .284 with six homers, 48 walks and 55 strikeouts in 58 games for the Mud Hens.)
He is a switch-hitter who plays both shortstop and center field.
Not only does Cruz play shortstop and center field, but he also plays third base, right field, left field and second base. He has played all but three positions – catcher, pitcher and first base – in his professional career.
“On the field, Trei brings a ton of versatility,” Hinch said. “I know his left-handed swing has been better than his right-handed swing, but he brings a lot of feel to the game and a lot of versatility to our position-player group.”
The Tigers selected Cruz in the third round – with the No. 73 overall pick – in the 2020 draft out of Rice University.
Five of the six selections in the shortened 2020 draft class have played for the Tigers this season: Spencer Torkelson (No. 1), Dillon Dingler (No. 38), Cruz (No. 73), Gage Workman (No. 102) and Colt Keith (No. 132).
Exactly 2,199 days after that draft, Cruz is ready to make his MLB debut for the Tigers in Friday’s game.
“He’s gone through a lot of different ups and downs,” Hinch said, referencing Cruz three-peating Double-A from 2022-24 and undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2024. “He’s never lost his resolve. Not everybody’s journey to the big leagues is a smooth ride, but I love that he’s tough enough to handle it.”
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tigers call up Trei Cruz for MLB debut; Wenceel Pérez fractures face
Reporting by Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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By Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press | USA TODAY Network
