The Tigers announced Wednesday that second baseman Gleyber Torres is headed back to the 10-day injured list. He’s once again dealing with a left oblique strain — the same injury that kept him out of action from May 4 through June 2. Right-hander Casey Mize has been reinstated from the injured list in a corresponding move. He’ll start today’s game for Detroit.
Torres’ injury (or re-injury) is a tough blow for a Tigers team that’s finally been clicking of late — in no small part due to the play of its second baseman. Torres was healthy for 11 games between IL stints and batted .341/.413/.585 with two homers and four doubles in 46 plate appearances during that stretch. He’s been a prominent factor in the Tigers’ 8-5 record so far this month — already more games than they won in an unfathomably bad month of May that saw them flop with a 6-22 record.
Overall, Torres has taken 190 plate appearances in 2026 and logged a hearty .280/.395/.395 batting line (126 wRC+) with nearly as many walks (15.3%) as strikeouts (17.4%). He’s played a fine second base as well, drawing a positive mark from Defensive Runs Saved (6), while Statcast’s Outs Above Average credits him as a scratch defender.
The Tigers haven’t yet put a timetable on Torres’ expected absence. Every injury is different, but Torres’ roughly monthlong absence from his last oblique strain is pretty well in line with precedent for Grade 1 oblique strains. If this aggravation has produced a more significant strain, he could be out longer. Manager A.J. Hinch will presumably have more details when he meets with the Tigers beat today.
With Torres down again, the Tigers will go back to a combination of Zach McKinstry and Hao-Yu Lee at second base. Colt Keith can join that mix as well, though he’s yet to log an inning at the position this season. Detroit has used him exclusively at the infield corners and at designated hitter.
More to come.
