Kerry

Carpenter

Carpenter put Minnesota ahead with a grand slam off Astros starter Kai-Wei Teng in the third innings. It was his 12th round-tripper of the season and third career grand slam. The 28-year-old righty-mashing corner outfielder has gone deep in back-to-back contests and has left the yard six times since the start of June.

Carpenter broke the game open with his 412-foot (105.3-mph EV) two-run shot off of Spencer Arrighetti in the third inning that increased the Tigers’ lead to 3-0. He struck out in each of his three other at-bats in the ballgame. For the season, the 28-year-old slugger is now hitting .220/.296/.470 with 11 home runs and 31 RBI.

The Tigers trailed by a run entering the sixth inning when Dillon Dingler smacked a leadoff single and Riley Greene worked a one-out walk. Carpenter then blooped a two-run double into center just in front of the outstretched glove of a diving Tristan Peters. That proved to be the difference in the ballgame. On the season, the 28-year-old slugger is now slashing .234/.313/.497 with 10 homers and 29 RBI in 166 plate appearances.

Carpenter’s homer was a solo shot off Peter Lambert in the seventh, one of just two hits the Tigers would collect against him. The lefty-swinging slugger has remained in his usual platoon role this season, but his strikeout rate has jumped over 30% to go along with a declining barrel rate. Carpenter’s track record suggests he’ll turn it around, but those metrics are worth watching.

Carpenter punctuated a three-run rally off of Bryan Woo in the third inning with a 347-foot (95.2-mph EV) two-run shot to right field. The 28-year-old slugger also struck out twice in the ballgame, finishing the night 1-for-4. On the season, he’s now slashing .239/.308/.504 with eight homers and 22 RBI in 133 plate appearances.

The 28-year-old slugger returns to a struggling Tigers’ lineup after just two minor league rehab games at Triple-A Toledo. He’ll serve as the team’s designated hitter and bat cleanup against Sean Burke for Sunday’s series finale against the White Sox in Chicago. Before landing on the injured list, Carpenter was hitting .216/.299/.451 with six homers and 17 RBI in his first 117 plate appearances.

It sounded like the original plan was to activate him Monday, but now Carpenter, on the IL with a strained shoulder, could rejoin the Tigers on Sunday. Gage Workman, Zack Short and Hao-Yu Lee are probably the candidates to be replaced on the Tigers’ roster. One will go for Carpenter, and another figures to exit to make room for Gleyber Torres sometime soon.

The 28-year-old slugger has been shelved since May 10 due to a sprained left shoulder. The Tigers’ offense has floundered miserably over the past few weeks, so a quick return to action would definitely help the cause. Expect him to remain there through the weekend and if all goes well he could be ready to return for Monday’s series opener against the Rays in Tampa Bay.

Gage Workman is replacing him on the roster. Carpenter was hurt Saturday while running into the side wall down the right field line on Bobby Witt Jr.'s inside-the-park homer. The Tigers will probably give Colt Keith more time at DH with Carpenter out, which would open up starts for Workman at third. Wenceel Pérez is also in line for some extra at-bats as a right fielder.

Carpenter was hurt running into the side wall on Bobby Witt Jr.'s inside-the-park homer and is probably going to be day-to-day. It might be best if he DH’s a little bit, opening up some more starts for Wenceel Pérez.