Spencer Torkelson

Parker Meadows and Matt Vierling will both be starting the season on the Tigers’ injured list, while Wenceel Perez is also a bit of a question mark after he received a cortisone shot to deal with a lingering back problem. With so many absences already in the Detroit outfield, the team is getting creative in…

Parker Meadows and Matt Vierling will both be starting the season on the Tigers’ injured list, while Wenceel Perez is also a bit of a question mark after he received a cortisone shot to deal with a lingering back problem. With so many absences already in the Detroit outfield, the team is getting creative in…

Perez was supposed to return to game action on Wednesday, but now it seems like Saturday could be the earliest we will see him back out on the field. He has not played since March 2nd, which means he's missed at least 11 games with lower back tightness. With Parker Meadows also sidelined by a nerve issue in his right arm, it looks like the Tigers might have to play Kerry Carpenter and Zach McKinstry in the outfield to start the season and use Spencer Torkelson as their regular designated hitter.

Torkelson is now 9-for-29 with four homers this spring. He'd seem to be in line to make the Tigers in Matt Vierling's spot, and he could be the primary DH initially, with Kerry Carpenter seeing most of his time in the outfield. That's probably not an ideal long-term situation, since Carpenter isn't great defensively and has had some issues staying healthy. Torkelson will need to really productive to make playing him worthwhile.

Torkelson went 3-for-3 with a pair of solo home runs in Saturday's Grapefruit League win over the Orioles.