Matt

Vierling

Injuries have forced the Tigers to use Vierling a lot more than anticipated, and it’s not going well. Normally a platoon guy against lefties, he’s currently starting against righties about two-thirds of the time, even though he’s hitting just .183/.228/.323 against them. If Max Clark were thriving in Triple-A, the Tigers probably would have called him up by now. As is, they’re really lacking in alternatives.

Vierling started the game with a solo home run off of Red Sox opener Jovani Moran and then added a single later in the game. Since Moran is a lefty, Vierling was at the top of the order, but the 29-year-old is hitting .221/.279/.390. It remains to be seen if the return of Zach McKinstry from the injured list will impact Vierling’s playing time against right-handed pitching going forward.

Vierling plays against all lefties but has been splitting center field reps with Wenceel Pérez against right-handers. There’s CF playing time up for grabs with Parker Meadows and Javier Báez both sidelined, but Detroit is unlikely to suddenly turn Vierling into a true everyday option. He’s best deployed in DFS and daily lineup formats when facing a southpaw.

It appears to be nothing more than a routine day of rest for the versatile 33-year-old. Báez is off to a decent start offensively in 2026, slashing .267/.291/.413 with a pair of homers, six RBI and one stolen base in his first 79 plate appearances. Matt Vierling will start in his place in center field and bat seventh against Rhett Lowder and the Reds on Sunday.

With Kris Bubic on the mound, the Tigers will again sit Keith, move Kevin McGonigle to third base, and let Javier Baez play shortstop. Keith did struggle in limited at-bats versus lefties last year, but over 135 plate appearances in his career, Keith is slashing .254/.304/.302 against lefties with a 26 percent strikeout rate. Unfortunately for him, Baez, Wenceel Perez, and Matt Vierling all have much more success versus lefties. The only hope for Keith would be that he could steal playing time from Jahmai Jones, who has slahed .251/.342/.485 against lefties in 190 career plate appearances. Maybe the Tigers would allow their former top 25 overall prospect more at-bats at the expense of a journeyman bench bat.

Keith draws a rare night off with rookie Kevin McGonigle at the hot corner while Javier Báez takes over at shortstop with Matt Vierling in center field to face Royals southpaw Cole Ragans. The 24-year-old has been one of Detroit’s primary offensive catalysts this season, slashing .340/.375/.472 with 10 runs scored, seven doubles and four RBI through 15 games.

Vierling’s doubles came on liners hit 108 and 105 mph. He’s 11-for-31 with six extra-base hits this spring. 2025 was pretty much a lost year for him because of a season-opening shoulder injury and a season-ending oblique strain, but he’d still seem to be locked into a role with the Tigers as a starter somewhere against lefties, and if he excels, there could be some additional outfield time available versus righties.

Vierling is a bit of a forgotten man in Detroit because he missed most of last season with an injury, but he’s gone 8-for-15 this spring with no strikeouts and an over 60 percent hard-hit rate. His home run was a 358-foot bomb that let the bat at 100.8 mph, and he also added a 111 mph RBI single and a 105.5 mph RBI double. He will almost assuredly start against all left-handed pitching this season, but there’s a chance that he works himself into a bigger role if Colt Keith or one of the starting corner outfielders struggles at the plate.

Vierling missed the end of the 2025 campaign and the playoffs because of an oblique strain, but his versatility has made him a very valuable player for Detroit when healthy. He’ll likely play a multitude of positions for the Tigers in 2026.

How he comes out of that session will likely determine whether or not he’s ready to be included on the Tigers’ roster for their Division Series against the Mariners. Matt Vierling (oblique) will also take batting practice on Friday to see where he’s at. It sounds like the Tigers could soon be getting some reinforcements back to their offense if everything goes well on Friday.