Tiger's notebook: What's next for Parker Meadows when recovery of injuries?

Detroit – When Parker Meadows works back from an injury, his unexpected replacement in midfield, Javier Báez, recently offered some playful motivation.

“He said to me: 'Man, I need you back. Then run out there.'”

Apart from jokes, Báez looked like a natural look in midfield.

Meadows established itself in 2024 as one of the top defensive fields in the game, and his spring injury -together with the later injuries by Matt Vierling and Wenceel Pérez -seemed to leave a gaping hole in the heart of defense of the tiger.

Enter Báez, who took on the new role with enthusiasm and lightness.

“He doesn't need advice,” said Meadows. “It's fun to see. You could put this guy behind the plate, and I think he was a natural talent. He's just so talented. It's great to see him out there. I'm for the guy.”

Meadows is currently on the 60-day injury list, so that he can only return on May 26th. Since he has not yet started rehabilitation, a return appears more realistic in early June.

Although Meadows did not want to predict timeline, he said on Friday that he had checked a few more boxes.

“Things move in the right direction,” he said.

On February 22, Meadows suffered a nerve injury in the upper arm during the first exhibition game of spring training. He went without throwing for almost two months when he waited for the nerve to “woke up”.

Now it is about rebuilding on the plate and especially in the field.

“I think the last step would be to throw the bases and throw hard,” said Meadows. “I'm not there yet, but I'm getting closer. I'm now about 120 feet and make it pretty easy. I just take it from there. I'm not trying to hurry up things, but I feel good.”

CobB's recovery continues

Alex Cobb, the right-handed man of Tigers, threw Jace Jung and Matt Vierling a live work lesson in the Comerica Park on Friday afternoon.

COBB, which signed a one-year contract for $ 15 million with the Tigers in December and was expected to be concluded in the opening day rotation, has been in hip infections since February.

“It was a step forward,” said Tiger's manager Aj Hinch. “His things were really good and it was impressed again today. If they put pitmen and put boys like Vierling and Jace at home, it was real. He still works through his recovery, and we only need him to take small steps so that we can assess what comes next.”

Vierling, who played in just two spring training games before he suffered in a tense rotator cuff, is in the middle of a rehab task with triple-a Toledo. He performed at DH in three games and will return to the mud goers this weekend to work in the outer field.

Hinch extends two friends

Hinch said he turned both at Derek Shelton, who was released on Thursday as a manager of Pittsburgh Pirates, as well as Don Kelly, who was promoted by the bank coach to take a seat.

Kelly, a long -time Tigers Utility man, was in 2019 as Hind's first basic trainer at the Houston Astros.

“I am close to both of them. I was in their shoes, both as a manager is released and in the task in the temporary season,” said Hintch.

“With Donnie I just wanted to encourage him and wish him all the best when he started.

“I know that he is excited, but there is also a part of him who is disappointed that a close friend and mentor were disappointed. He called me immediately. We had the chance to catch up for a few minutes. I wished him everything well down the street except for a few games.”

Late arrival at home

HINCH said that the tigers came home on Friday around 2 a.m. after playing a double header in Denver on Thursday.

The players were later allowed to arrive as usual and jump on the field.

“It is what it is. It is nothing we didn't know when the Doublehead was planned,” said Hintch. “Today we do all of our work, apart from a few floor balls and such.