The Detroit Tigers have another player on the injured list.
Before the series opener against the Baltimore Orioles on Monday, July 27, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said right fielder Kerry Carpenter is “trending toward the injured list” after aggravating an injury in his left foot in a 5-4 loss to the Kansas City Royals on Sunday. Ben Malgeri replaced Carpenter in right field in the fifth inning after Carpenter’s final at-bat.
A few hours after Hinch’s comments, the Tigers officially placed Carpenter on the 10-day injured list with plantar fasciitis in his left foot. Catcher Eduardo Valencia was recalled from Triple-A Toledo as his replacement on the 26-man roster.
Carpenter, who has been dealing with a bruised heel for the past week, suffered a different injury in his foot — plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis is the inflammation of the ligaments on the bottom of the foot that connect the heel and ball of the foot, forming the foot’s arch.
Carpenter had one more test scheduled on Monday, ahead of the series opener against the Baltimore Orioles at Comerica Park, to determine whether he needed to go on the IL or just take a few days off.
“It has turned into a little bit of an issue with his plantar fasciitis, so we are getting to the bottom of what that means,” Hinch said. “He is trending toward the injured list, just given the treatment plan and the fact that we would be out of his services for the next few days.”
Hinch said Carpenter’s new diagnosis came after he “had an event” in Sunday’s game, and the pain he is dealing with now is located in a different part of his foot than the heel.
“I think it is somewhat connected to the heel bruise, but it is a different part of his foot that he felt yesterday,” Hinch said. “Which is why we are getting the specialists to look.”
The Tigers decided to start utility fielder Zach McKinstry in right field Monday against the O’s. McKinstry, Malgeri and Matt Vierling are the three active Tigers who have played in right this season.
Carpenter’s potential return to the injured list comes while he has been struggling. The left-handed slugger is just 6-of-52 (.115) in July with zero extra-base hits or RBIs. Carpenter previously spent time on the IL this season with a sprained AC joint in his left shoulder after colliding with an outfield wall. In years past, he has dealt with hamstring injuries.
The Tigers will not reinstate Javier Báez, who returned to Detroit on Monday, from the injured list quite yet as a potential replacement. Báez had a scheduled off day during his rehab process as he returns from the 60-day IL because of an ankle injury. He played seven innings in center field and went 2-for-4 at the plate for Toledo on Sunday before coming back to Comerica Park.
“Javy is not going to get activated [Monday], Hinch said. “He’s here. I’ve talked to him. He’s going to get some work pregame.”
Contact Jared Ramsey at jramsey@freepress.com.
This story was updated to reflect Kerry Carpenter’s placement on the IL.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers’ Kerry Carpenter hits 10-day IL with foot injury
Reporting by Jared Ramsey, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Jared Ramsey, Detroit Free Press | USA TODAY Network
