The Detroit Tigers have lost one of their top players.
Colt Keith — a left-handed hitting third baseman who also plays second base and first base — has been placed on the 10-day injured list with right rib cage inflammation. The 24-year-old will be out for the remainder of the regular season, but if healthy, he is eligible to return for the postseason.
The Tigers have nine games in 10 days remaining.
“No news that I can confirm yet,” manager A.J. Hinch said Friday, Sept. 19, before the opener of a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves at Comerica Park and just two hours ahead of Keith’s placement on the injured list. “He’s still going under medical evaluation. … There’s some doctors’ feedback that we’re waiting on, so that we can both diagnose it and explain it.”
To replace Keith, the Tigers recalled Jace Jung — a fellow left-handed hitting third baseman who also plays second base — from Triple-A Toledo. The 24-year-old, who turns 25 in early October, hit .252 with 17 home runs, 78 walks and 125 strikeouts across 110 games for the Mud Hens.
Jung has played 52 games in his two-year MLB career, including 18 games with the Tigers in 2025. The 2022 first-round pick is a .194 hitter in the big leagues, still without a home run.
It’s unclear if Keith will be healthy for the postseason.
Keith experienced lower back tightness in the second inning of Thursday’s 3-1 loss to the Cleveland Guardians, removing himself from the game. Before the injury, Keith put the Tigers ahead, 1-0, with an RBI double.
In 2025, Keith hit .256 with 13 home runs, 48 walks and 102 strikeouts in 137 games — the second year of his MLB career. He improved in walk rate and exit velocity from his first to second season, but he declined in strikeout rate.
The Tigers started Keith in 32 games at third base, 21 games at second base and 17 games at first base, along with 43 games as the designated hitter.
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Keith reported to Comerica Park before Friday’s game, in which the Tigers started Zach McKinstry at third base in his place against Braves right-hander Bryce Elder.
He wasn’t available in the clubhouse to discuss the injury that occurred Thursday.
But Hinch talked to him.
“I know he’s not feeling great,” Hinch said, not long before Keith landed on the injured list, “but there’s been no determination as to what that means. Obviously, we’ll limit him today and get him evaluated multiple times.”
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Colt Keith injury update: Detroit Tigers 3B on injured list with rib cage inflammation
Reporting by Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
