Vierling will start in right field and bat seventh in Sunday's game against the Mariners.
Though he'll be filling in for a resting Wenceel Perez in the series finale, Vierling could be encroaching on Parker Meadows' role as the Tigers' preferred option in center field. Since returning from the injured list June 28, Vierling had been in center against left-handed pitching, but he also received the nod over Meadows in two of the Tigers' previous four matchups with righties. Vierling has gone just 4-for-25 with a 6:6 BB:K in eight games since being activated.
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Tigers' Matt Vierling: Reinstated, starting Saturday
Rotowire
The Tigers reinstated Vierling (shoulder) from the 10-day injured list, and he will start in center field and bat seventh against the Twins on Saturday, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.
Vierling has appeared in just four major-league games this season due to right shoulder inflammation, which has led to two separate stints on the injured list. He played in seven games for Triple-A Toledo during his latest rehab outing, going 6-for-29 (.207) with four runs scored and two RBI, but he's shown enough to make his way back to the majors and will start in the outfield in his return. Trey Sweeney was optioned to Triple-A in a corresponding move.
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Tigers' Matt Vierling: Set to play third Thursday
Rotowire
Vierling (shoulder) is slated to start at third base for Triple-A Toledo in a rehab game Thursday and also see some more time in the outfield before his return to the majors, which is likely to come within a week.
Vierling has worked his way up from serving as the DH to seeing some time in the outfield during his rehab assignment, and he'll now shift over to third base. The team wants to see the 28-year-old take some reps at the hot corner and also play a bit more in the outfield before bringing him back to the majors. The Tigers lineup has done well in the absence of Vierling, so he may have to settle for more of a bench role initially, though he could eventually push for more playing time at third or in right field.
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Tigers' Matt Vierling: Recovered from illness
Rotowire
Vierling (shoulder) will return to Triple-A Toledo's lineup Wednesday after being scratched Sunday due to an illness, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.
Vierling had his rehab assignment slowed by the ailment but will return to game action after just a few days of rest and recovery. The 28-year-old has gone 4-for-20 through five games on the rehab assignment and may not be far off from returning from the 10-day injured list.
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Tigers' Matt Vierling: Begins rehab assignment
Rotowire
Vierling will start a rehab assignment at Triple-A Toledo on Friday, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.
Vierling will play DH on Friday but is completing a throwing progression daily as part of his recovery from right shoulder inflammation. It's unclear how many games he'll need at Toledo, but he should be back on the active roster within a week or two.
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Tigers' Matt Vierling: Close to baseball activities
Rotowire
Vierling received an injection in his right shoulder Thursday and is expected to resume baseball activities within the next couple of days, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Vierling started the season on the 10-day injured list after straining his right rotator cuff in late February. He returned to major-league action May 23, but after just four games he was back on the IL due to right shoulder inflammation. Vierling is close to resuming baseball activities, and how his shoulder reacts to more work will provide the Tigers a better timeline for the 28-year-old's return.
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Tigers' Matt Vierling: Shoulder barking again
Rotowire
Vierling was placed on the 10-day injured list Tuesday with right shoulder inflammation, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Vierling missed the first eight weeks of the season with a strained right rotator cuff muscle and played in only four big-league games before getting shut down again. Wenceel Perez was activated from the injured list in a corresponding move.
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Tigers' Matt Vierling: Making first start of 2025
Rotowire
Vierling is starting in center field and batting seventh against the Guardians on Saturday.
Vierling was activated from the 10-day injured list Friday and pinch hit in the ninth inning. He's fully recovered from a right rotator cuff strain that caused him to begin the season on the 10-day injured list, and he'll make his first start of the 2025 campaign Saturday. Vierling slashed .257/.312/.423 with six steals, 16 home runs and 57 RBI across 567 plate appearances during the 2024 regular season.
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Tigers' Matt Vierling: Activated from 10-day IL
Rotowire
The Tigers activated Vierling (shoulder) from the 10-day injured list Friday, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Previous reports indicated Vierling could return as soon as Sunday, but the Tigers have elected to bring him back sooner. The 28-year-old is coming back from a right rotator cuff strain that he suffered in late February. Vierling has batted .206/.372/.441 with two home runs and one stolen base across 11 rehab games. The Tigers could ease him back into action, but Vierling should eventually be close to an everyday player between third base and the outfield.
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Tigers' Matt Vierling: Might return Sunday
Rotowire
Vierling (shoulder) could be activated from the 10-day injured list as soon as Sunday, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.
It sounds like Monday against the Giants is a likelier return date for Vierling, but he could be brought back a day earlier since the Tigers are slated to face lefty Logan Allen of the Guardians on Sunday. Vierling has been sidelined all season with a right rotator cuff strain but has played 11 rehab games, most recently playing all nine innings at third base Wednesday and another full game between third base and right field Thursday, both with Single-A Lakeland. The 28-year-old will have his rehab assignment shifted back to Triple-A Toledo on Friday.
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Tigers' Matt Vierling: Starting rehab assignment Sunday
Rotowire
Vierling (shoulder) will begin his rehab assignment with Triple-A Toledo on Sunday, Emily Waldon of Baseball America reports.
Vierling is in the final stages of his recovery from a strained rotator cuff in his right shoulder, which caused him to start the season on the 10-day injured list. He will embark on his rehab assignment Sunday and will initially serve as the designated hitter before seeing reps in the outfield. Vierling finished the 2024 regular season with Detroit slashing .257/.312/.423 with six stolen bases, 16 home runs and 57 RBI over 567 plate appearances.
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Tigers' Matt Vierling: Not yet throwing
Rotowire
Vierling (shoulder) said Friday that he has yet to start up a throwing program, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.
The 28-year-old resumed hitting a couple weeks ago and is taking part in defensive drills, but he apparently needs to strengthen his shoulder a bit more before he can begin full baseball activities. According to Chris McCosky of The Detroit News, Vierling will undergo an MRI within the next week, presumably to check the progress of the strained rotator cuff in his right shoulder.
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Tigers' Matt Vierling: Sent to injured list
Rotowire
The Tigers placed Vierling (shoulder) on the 10-day injured list Thursday.
Vierling was cleared to resume hitting and perform shoulder strengthening exercises Friday as the latest step in his rehab from a right rotator cuff strain. He still has a few more boxes to check before he can hope to begin a rehab assignment, but the door is still open for him to return to Detroit before May.
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Tigers' Matt Vierling: Progressing in rehab work
Rotowire
Vierling (shoulder) began a hitting progression this week and was cleared Friday to advance his shoulder strengthening exercises, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.
The 28-year-old resumed light baseball activities in early March after being shut down due to a strained rotator cuff early in camp, and he's now ramping up his rehab work. Vierling will begin the season on the injured list but could make his season debut sometime in April.
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Tigers' Matt Vierling: Gets more job security
Rotowire
With free agent Alex Bregman passing up the Tigers to sign with the Red Sox, Vierling should have a clearer path to regular starts at third base, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.
If Bregman had joined Detroit, he likely would have played most days at the hot corner, pushing Vierling to a bench role. However, Vierling should now slot in as a primary option at third, though left-hand hitting Jace Jung figures to be in the mix too. On days when Jung enters the lineup, Vierling could slide to the outfield. This makes the veteran's 2025 fantasy outlook similar to 2024, when he slashed .257/.312/.423 with 16 home runs across 144 regular-season games.
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Tigers' Matt Vierling: Avoids hearing with Detroit
Rotowire
The Tigers and Vierling avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $3.005 million contract Thursday, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.
It's a substantial pay increase for Vierling, who was eligible for arbitration for the first time. The super-utility player hit .257/.312/.423 with 16 home runs across 144 games for Detroit in 2024 and should see close to everyday playing time again in 2025.
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Tigers' Matt Vierling: Idle Saturday
Rotowire
Vierling isn't in the Tigers' lineup for Saturday's game against the White Sox.
Vierling has tallied a hit in each of his last three games, but he'll step out of the starting nine Saturday as Jace Jung gets the starting nod at third base and bats seventh.
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Tigers' Matt Vierling: Sitting Wednesday
Rotowire
Vierling is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Royals.
Vierling will take a seat for the series finale after he had started in each of the Tigers' last three games. Wenceel Perez will fill in for Vierling in right field and will bat third.
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Tigers' Matt Vierling: Sitting again Saturday
Rotowire
Vierling is not in Saturday's lineup against the Orioles, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.
Vierling is out of the lineup for the second time in the last three days. Wenceel Perez will hit fifth and start in left field in his place.
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Tigers' Matt Vierling: Rest day Thursday
Rotowire
Vierling is not in the lineup for Thursday's game versus the Rockies.
Zach McKinstry will be in right field for the series finale as Vierling gets a breather. Vierling reached base four times in the first two games of the series.
